Another 48 Hours
by Skinfull
Summary: Sam and Andy are working undercover when a serial killer resurfaces whose M.O. is to murder within 48 hours of abduction. Now Completed.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Another 48 Hours

**Author**: Skinfull

**Summary**: Sam and Andy are working undercover when a serial killer resurfaces whose M.O. is murder within 48 hours of abduction.

**A/N**: This one is going to be a lot darker than the other RB fic I just posted, also, its a WIP and I dont even know where she is going to take me! All I saw was this scene, the next one and a title... what could possibly go wrong!

**I know this is so soon after my other fic but I got itchy keyboard finger.

**I don't know what rating to give it so I'll err on the side of caution and hit it with an "M"

* * *

_**Chapter 1**_

Sam Swarek let his head fall onto his shoulder and spat out the blood that was filling his mouth. With one eye swollen shut and his mouth already filling with more blood he struggled to stay conscious. The room faded in and out as his one good eye drooped shut. He put all his energy into staying awake. His arms ached from being bound so tightly and cuffed to a wall in an elevated position. He wasn't sure, but from the level of pain that was throbbing in his shoulder he thought it was dislocated.

Breathing hurt from the couple of ribs he suspected were broken and despite the disturbing amount of blood that was spilling past his lips, it was the unmoving form of his partner Andy McNally across the room that really worried him.

Even though the room was dark, the three small windows behind him allowed in enough moonlight so he could make her out. Her hands were bound with cable ties, her wrists stained with dried blood from her attempts to wriggle free when she was awake. Her uniform was gone and she was wearing only a white tee and a pair of briefs. Sam let his eye close over and took a few ragged breaths. He coughed from the effort, spitting out more blood.

"Andy…" he called out, though he didn't expect a response. "Hey…McNally!" She didn't stir. He could see she was breathing from the slow rise and fall of her chest, but it brought him little comfort. "McNally…get up! GET UP!"

Sam coughed and spluttered, white hot pain irradiated from his torso and his right shoulder but before he could compose himself enough to try again, he could hear footsteps racing towards their cell.

For a split second he was torn between hope and fear but this dilemma was quickly resolved when the door was flung open and their captor stepped in. Fear ripped through him, followed by anger, at a level he had only ever felt once before in his life.

Their captor looked at Andy then over to Sam. He smiled at the futility of Sam's anger, his hands were balled into fists and he was straining against his cuffs but they weren't budging.

"Enjoying your stay?" He walked over to where Andy was and crouched down next to her.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" Sam spat out blood with each word.

He reached down and moved Andy's hair out of her face with the barrel of a gun. Sam winced, tried to contain his rage and rattled his cuffs again, taking the attention off Andy and back to himself.

"Leave her alone…" the words were followed by more coughing, more blood and more pain and Sam went limp. The room swam and his vision faded in and out. Finally succumbing to the darkness the last thing Sam saw was Andy being lifted and carried out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: Insomnia is helping me update this quicker than expected. :) Hope it doesn't effect the quality. :/

**As this is a WIP, I don't have a full timeline worked out yet, the previous chapter I'm guessing is about 2 / 3 weeks after this one... so instead of guessing and getting it wrong, I'm just gonna say "Previously" Sorry _

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

**Previously...**

Sam Swarek slipped some pages into a manila folder and slapped it closed. He tossed the folder on top of the pile of folders on the side of his desk and let his head fall back over his shoulders with an audible sigh.

"If I never have to fill out another report it will be too soon." Sam rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "There has got to be a simpler way."

He looked across the desk to where Oliver Shaw was sitting. Shaw had his arms folded on the desk and rested his head in the crook of his elbow.

"Yeah, if we didn't catch so many bad guys, we would have way less paperwork."

"It'd be kinda boring though, don't ya think?"

"Right." Shaw stood up abruptly. He braced himself against the table for a minute as he waited for the head rush to pass then with his hands on his hips he looked down at Sam. "To the Penny."

"You've got to be joking, I can barely see past my nose." Sam dry washed his face as he sat forward.

"So…you've got a head start." Shaw bumped his leg against the table causing the pile of folders near Sam to jostle. Sam lunged for them, grabbing them before they could slip off.

"Jesus!" He picked them up and realigned them, putting them in a more secure place but as he stood he caught sight of Andy. She was standing at the door to the men's locker room, talking with someone he couldn't see. She was laughing, leaning against the door frame and scuffing her shoes off the floor. She reached up to tuck her hair out of her eyes as she laughed and then reached a hand in to touch whomever she was talking to. Sam angled his head to see if he could make out who was the recipient of these seemingly flirtatious Andy machinations, but it was no good.

Oliver glanced over his shoulder to see what it was that had captured his friend's attention and rolled his eyes. "So, are you coming to the Penny or are you going to make me drink alone, like the closet drunk that I am."

"Yeah, yeah…give me a sec."

As he walked towards the locker room, the door was closing and Andy was backing away from it. Sam continued on his path, not veering out of her way and allowed her to bump with into him. She turned with a gasp, apology on her lips until she saw who it was.

"Oh…" She was blushing, her eyes roaming the halls, looking anywhere but at him.

"What, no apology?" He smiled at her, and hooked his thumbs into his utility belt.

"You could have gotten out of the way."

"You could have watched where you were going."

"Yeah, ok, fine. Sorry." She made to move past him and he reached to grab her arm, but instead he dropped his hand and watched her go.

Sam walked into the locker room to get changed. He stood at his locker and scanned the room to see if he could decipher who she was talking to. It was at the tail end of a shift change so he wasn't alone. Some of the men he could discount immediately, the older detectives that were standing round talking, but the rest were all suspect. Sam shook his head and concentrated on changing his clothes. When he walked back out to the bullpen Shaw was leaning against his desk his arms folded across his chest.

"Ready?"

"Yeah, yeah." Sam was scanning the room behind his friend.

"Sammy, you are a lost cause."

"What?!" he held his hands out but all Shaw could do was roll his eyes as he walked past Sam, bumping him with his shoulder. "What is it?!" Sam called after him, hurrying to catch up.

"This whole mysterious lone wolf thing you have goin on, it's tired. You need to find a new thing."

Sam realised Shaw wasn't just ribbing him, he was genuinely pissed off. Outside the station Shaw walked past the cars and out onto the street towards the bar.

"Ollie, Ollie what's goin on?" Sam walked along side, his hands in his pockets against the cold that Shaw didn't seem to notice.

"Look buddy, maybe it's working for you in ways I can't tell, but I can't see how." Shaw stopped abruptly and Sam walked on, turning back when he realised he was walking alone. "But from what I can see…you're doing it wrong."

"I don't know-"

"You do know. You just choose to ignore it." Sam opened his mouth to protest but Shaw held up a hand to stop him. "No, no, if you want to ignore it, fine but please, for the love of god… just ignore it. This back and forth bull shit, though initially entertaining, is now just irritating." Sam looked back at his friend with his eyes open wide and his mouth agape. "Just sayin…" Shaw added, holding his hands up defensively as he walked on towards the bar.

* * *

Andy took the bottle of wine from the fridge and grabbed the corkscrew. She raced back to the living room where Tracy was sitting on the couch, holding two glasses. On the coffee table in front of them was an already empty bottle of wine, and a couple of plates with the remnants of some pasta dish on them. She jumped onto the couch and covered her legs with the blanket.

"I don't know what his problem is lately." Andy struggled for a few minutes with the cork and Tracy watched her with amusement. "He's being smug and arrogant."

"And that differs how exactly?"

Andy rolled her eyes. "I dunno, it just is."

"Oh please, you two are as bad as each other." Tracy held out the glasses and watched as Andy avoided the conversation by concentrating on filling them.

"What?!" She put the bottle down on the floor and snuggled into the blanket. "Look it's not going to happen between me and Swarek. We're too different." She sipped her wine.

"Opposites attract," Tracy replied.

"Pffft."

"Don't you dare sit there and tell me you wouldn't jump his bones at the slightest bit of encouragement."

"There is no encouragement."

"He's not the type to encourage. He'll do the pouncing."

"We'll he's not pouncing, at least not in my direction."

"A-ha!" Tracy held up a fist in victory. "So you do want him to pounce."

"I'm only human!" Andy laughed. "Look, it doesn't matter anyway." Her laughter faded. "It's just a bad idea, it always was."

"Bad idea because you two never seem to get your timing right."

"Bad idea because he was my T.O."

"Was."

"And then because I was dating Luke."

"Was."

"Anyway it doesn't matter anymore. I've got a date for tomorrow night, and it's got nothing to do with Sam Swarek, or Division 15 or even the police force!"

"What? Who?" Tracy sat up and swatted her friend on the leg.

"David Scully."

"The journalist? They guy who has been hanging around the station all week?"

"Yeah." Andy sipped her wine and smiled. "We got talking today. He's really nice."

"For a journalist," Tracy added.

"C'mon, that's not fair." Andy reached down for the bottle and topped up each of their glasses.

"Hey he could be the nicest guy on the planet, but he's still a journalist."

"Well at least he's not my T.O."

"You mean he's not Sam Swarek."

"Same thing." Andy shrugged.

"And yet oh so very different!"


	3. Chapter 3

Andy walked out of the locker room pulling her hair back into a ponytail. She had an hour to go before her shift started and she wanted to catch up on the paperwork. Her date with the journalist was tonight and she was determined to get away at the end of shift as soon as possible. She sat at a desk by the stairs and started on her reports but the pile didn't seem to be getting any smaller as the hour passed. She spotted Tracy walking through the room on her way to change, and Oliver Shaw was coming out of the gym.

She glanced at her watch an noticed she only had another 15 minutes before parade. She scanned the pages she had left to do and sighed.

"McNally." She turned to see Staff Sgt Frank Best standing at the top of the stairs holding open his office door. "Can I have a word?"

"Yes, Sir."

In the office Andy stood in front of his desk, her arms connected behind her back. Best was standing with his back to her, his arms folded across his chest.

"I got a call last night about a UC position that I think you might be perfect for."

"UC? Me?"

Best turned to face her and she wasn't encouraged by the look on his face. "You're the first one I thought of." Best looked over her shoulder and she turned to see someone walking through the bullpen making his way to the office.

"Good to see you Kevin." Frank stood and greeted him

"Good to be back at 15."

"This is Officer McNally."

"Hi, I'm Detective Kevin Holte." He held his hand out and Andy shook it. She noticed his suit was better than the usual detective suits, his hair was cut tight and he had a light stubble beard.

"Hello Sir."

"Has Frank filled you in?"

"I was just about to." Best went back to his desk and sat down, gesturing for the others to do the same.

"You might have heard about the bust last week of the escort agency in York."

"A little."

"Turns out that two of the women working there were trafficked in from Europe. And they each gave us a point of contact in a photography studio on Eglington Ave. We need you to go in as a client."

"To get my photograph taken?"

"They are like a job agency for hookers. They photograph girls, send the pics to the agencies to rent the girls. The owner of the studio also owns a gallery on King st and deals internationally through this. The women we collected last week said they paid him money for transport to the states, and are working off their debt."

"This sounds less like UC and more like bait."

"We estimate this guy is trafficking at least 2 women a month into the states. Some as young as 13. This is a huge operation involving 2 police agencies in Europe and Interpol."

"Andy," Frank spoke up, sensing her unease. "This is a big role. The initial part, going to the studio will only take today, but if he bites, and you get called to go to an agency, then we will need you to go UC, possibly for an extended period of time."

"At an escort agency?" Flashbacks of her disastrous attempt on the street corner in her first year spun before her eyes.

"Not at the agency, but still involved with the studio. The escort agencies are clear, it's the studio we need to get a look at from the inside. I want you to talk to the other girls, talk to the photographer, get as much information as you can. If we bust in there before we have something solid, whatever girls they have in the system will be lost."

"Ok, but why me?"

"The operation last week was a group effort between 53rd and 25th divisions. Most every officer was involved and we have no one left that could pass for an escort."

Andy looked over to Best who was watching her with interest. "So when do I start?"

"McNally, are you sure you want to do this?" Best sat forward. "Today will be the first step. Like I said before, you might have to go deeper."

"Yeah, of course. I understand."

"Then you start today." Holte stood up and fixed his jacket. "In fact right now."

"Right now?" Andy looked over her shoulder at the bullpen where the officers for the new shift were starting to arrive and congregate at the coffee station and move towards the Parade room.

"Yeah, let's go."

Holte opened the door and gestured for her to leave. Best stood with her and walked with them out of the office.

"Be safe out there McNally."

She looked back at him and offered him a reassuring smile.

* * *

Sam lingered at the coffee station while the rest of the morning shift filed into the parade room. Shaw who was just coming out of the locker room and buttoning up his shirt, spotted him and made a bee line.

"No milk, 2 sugars"

"Already ready for you." Sam handed him a cup and held out the donut box.

"There are some left?"

"I held a couple for you."

Shaw recognised the apology and accepted it as he took the bear claw out of the box and bit into it. They went to the parade room and shuffled through the crowd to get to their regular spot at the back. Each of them perched on the table. Purposefully Sam kept his eyes forward, watching the podium where Best was shuffling a few papers, until Shaw jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow.

"Hey, where is McNally?"

"Maybe she's running late. Wouldn't be the first time." Sam still kept his eyes front, refusing to scan the room or the hallway for her.

"Nah, I saw her this morning when I got in. She was filling out paperwork then in Best's office with Detective Holte."

"Kevin Holte?" Sam's interest was piqued and this time he did scan the room. "He's SCU, runs out of the 53rd. What was he doing here?"

"Alright 15!" Best held up his hands to quieten the chatter in the room. "We have one case in particular that we need to focus on. Serial B&E's across Bloordale Village. Yesterday Peck-Stien pulled in Bryan Horgan who ID'd two more accomplices." Best turned to stick two photos to the whiteboard behind him.

Shaw leaned closer to Sam and lowered his voice. "Holte is not SCU, He's ATF." Shaw kept his fingers splayed when he finished his pastry, as they were covered in icing.

"No, he left ATF after the McKinly case last year and transferred to SCU."

"Yeah right, because the Sexual Crimes Unit is a laugh riot in comparison." Shaw was licking his fingers when Best pointed at him.

"Officer Shaw here, who seems to be fully informed on this case, will be the POC for all incoming suspects." Shaw opened his mouth to protest, one of his hands pointing at Sam, who was looking in the other direction. "The BOLO has been in operation since last night but so far no success, so keep your eyes peeled. "

"Didn't he give a location where these guys might be?" Diaz asked.

"The suspect's location has been cleared and is currently under 24hr surveillance. Diaz, Nash you're going to Greendale Ave to take over that watch. The rest of you, assignments are on the board. Serve and protect and be on the lookout."

Best left as most of the room filed out, with only a few officers checking the assignments board.

"Me and you Peck," Noelle called out as she took the radio from the socket and walked out quickly followed by Gail Peck.

"Hey Chris, I just need two seconds, I'll meet you at the car." Tracy waved at him as she raced towards the locker room.

"Stakeout!" Epstien said to Diaz and patted him on the back. "Nice one."

"Sitting in an unmarked car, outside an empty house for 8 hours doesn't strike me as too interesting."

"Well take this," Shaw handed Diaz a folded newspaper. "Sorry but I already did the crossword."

Sam walked over to the assignments board and saw that he was riding with Epstien. But it wasn't his own name he was looking for, but her name wasn't there at all. He began to wonder if Shaw had seen her at all that morning.

"You ready to go?" Sam turned to see Dov looking at him expectantly. He had the car radio in his hand and Sam could see he was trying desperately to keep himself from grinning.

"Yeah, gimme a sec, I'll meet you at the car." Sam brushed passed him and into the hall. He found Oliver at the centre desk sorting through files. "Hey Shaw, are you sure it was McNally you saw this morning?"

"Yeah."

"She's not on the assignments board."

"I don't know what to tell you buddy, but I'm kinda busy." Shaw held up the piles of reports he had to sort through now that he was POC.

"Alright, alright." Sam spotted Best just entering his office and hurried over. With a precursory knock on the door he entered without waiting for approval.

"Ah Sam, I was wondering when you'd make it."

"Sir?"

"You're looking for McNally?"

The hairs on the back of Sam's neck tingled and his stomach flipped. "Where is she?"

"She's been reassigned for today."

"To SCU?"

"UC with Kevin Holte."

"What's the case?"

"On a need to know basis."

"Sir-"

"Sam, this is UC, it's not my case to tell."

"She's a rookie!" Sam couldn't help his voice raising and he took a deep breath and held it in a futile attempt to calm down.

"Not any more, they've been cut loose."

"2 months ago!"

"Sam," Best came around the table and stood in front of Sam who had his hands perched on his hips, his lips pressed tightly together and his breathing coming in angry nasal puffs. "I got a call this morning for a young female officer needed for a UC position. Andy is the best we have. Now you don't need to worry, this isn't a solo run. She's working as part of a team and Kevin Holte leading that team and he is the best."

His words did nothing to calm Sam down.

"She has no business working UC with SCU! She hasn't been trained for that!"

"You trained her, you did a great job. She has proven time and time again that she is capable under duress and in UC."

Sam let out a harsh laugh. "And time and time again that she messes up and panics!"

"You don't believe that." Best walked around Swarek to look out the window at the bullpen below.

"No. No I don't." Swarek turned to stand next to Best.

"Look, trust in her, trust in your training."

Sam slowly nodded his head then left to meet Epstien without another word.

**A/N**: Still in set up mode...we're getting there!


	4. Chapter 4

Andy stood in front of the full length mirror and turned from side to side. She had removed her uniform and was wearing a navy satin and lace open backed babydoll, with thigh high stockings and not for the first time in the last hour she wondered how she got herself into this position.

"Don't suppose I'll be able to wear a wire?"

She was in the female locker room at Division 53, with a fellow officer behind her, helping her decide what to wear.

"No, can't see where we'd put the pack!"

"This is the best one I think." Andy turned and awaited approval.

Officer Janie Williams rummaged through the rest of the options an agreed. "We just need to get you into some high boots, and a trench coat. That should do it."

"You are enjoying this way too much!"

"I've never been happy to be passed over for UC choice before…until now."

"Oh god… if my T.O. could see me now!" Andy picked up a black slip dress that would reach just below the garters she was wearing, and pulled it on over her head. She shimmied into it, pulling it into place, then reached back to tie it closed at the back of her neck.

"Ah these are the best days. Anyone can wear a police uniform, but not anyone could pull that off."

"So let's go over your story once more."

"Karina Devaroux. I moved out her from Calgary about a year ago, I've done some modelling for dept stores out west, came to Toronto to make some money, I met Gina at a casting call and she told me about the studio."

"Ok good. This will only last a few hours. Today is just testing the waters."

"Today is just baiting the hook."

There was a knock on the door. "Are you decent?"

"Relatively," Andy replied.

Kevin Holte came in and walked over, eyeing Andy's choice of clothing as he approached.. "Looking good. So we can't wire you."

"Yeah we figured."

"But…" Holte rummaged in his pocket then held his hand out flat. In the centre of his pal where three black cylindrical objects. "We need you to plant these around the studio."

"Bugs?"

"Sound only, but high quality. They have a sticky residue on this side, once you peel off the protective slip."

"Where will I put them?" Andy reached out and took them

"High traffic areas. By the door, next to a coffee station, you know the drill."

"Yeah, yeah of course."

"So you ready?"

Andy nodded. She put the bugs into her coat pocket and slipped into her boots. Kevin led her through the division and Andy was very aware of all sets of eyes following her through the room. Some subtly, some brazenly.

"So remember," Kevin pulled the car out of the precinct lot and into traffic. "We have a team in the hotel across the street. Another in the store next door. If you can't handle it get out. If you can't get out, use your broach."

Andy toyed with the broach on the lapel of her coat. The centre stone was a panic button. It was all she could do not to press it now.

"I'm going to drop you on Dundas st and I'll be in position by the time you get to King. Ok?"

"Yeah."

"You have your story?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"You are good for this McNally." Kevin looked at her while they were stopped in traffic. Noted her hands turning and fidgeting with her coat, her leg bouncing and her eyes darting, never settling. "I know you are nervous so use it. This is your first time at a photo-shoot, so use your nerves."

All Andy could do was nod.

"Okay, here, hop out here." Kevin pulled up and killed the engine. He turned in his car to face her and put a hand on her shoulder. "We've got your back."

Andy took a breath, pushed it out fast then climbed out of the car. It was raining lightly so she buttoned up her coat, and popped the collar. She walked fast through the streets, trying to ignore the curious glances from the pedestrians. Not the effect she was used to having when she walked the streets in her uniform.

Her stomach fluttered when she turned onto King street. She veered into a coffee shop to get something to calm her nerves and as she waited in line with her hands in her pockets she felt her phone.

"Crap!" knowing she was supposed to leave it behind she pulled it out of her pocket. She flipped it open to turn it off, but before she could think about it she dialled a number.

* * *

Dov knew he was talking too much. He didn't get to ride with Swarek often and he couldn't help himself. He knew Swarek was the best; he worked UC with Guns and Gangs an all the D's went to him first for back up interrogation. Dov was eager to impress. And when he was eager he talked to much.

"I just want to make a difference, ya know?"

"Sure."

"Even getting one gun off the streets means countless lives are saved."

"Yeah."

Dov glanced over at Swarek. He had been quiet all morning. No interest in chatting, no banter or even instructions. This wasn't the cruise he was expecting.

"How about a coffee?"

"Sure."

Dov pulled the car up to the curb outside a coffee shop. "Black?"

"Yeah."

Dov jumped out and Sam revelled in the silence. "Finally." He rubbed his face with his hands and tried to shake his mind back to the present. But nothing could hold his attention. No calls were coming in, it was particularly quiet for a wet Wednesday morning. "Okay, enough."

He slapped his own cheeks and ran his hands though his hair. When he spotted Dov coming out of the coffee shop he rolled down his window to take his drink. "Thanks Epstien."

"Not a problem."

As Sam sipped the bitter drink his phone chimed. He put the coffee into the holder and reached into his inside breast pocket for his phone and was surprised to see Andy's name on the caller ID display. He stepped out of the car to answer it.

"Hey."

"Sam!"

"What are you doing McNally? Where are you?" He walked away from the car for a little privacy, pressing his free hand into his other ear to help hear her better.

"Frank asked me to go undercover for the day, it's a small operation."

"What's goin on? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, no yeah its fine, but I'm all dressed up and I forgot to leave my mobile at the station."

"Oh… just turn it off. Wait… Dressed up?"

"Long story, look, I'm sorry I didn't get to see you this morning." She blurted out. Her voice was quivering and she was rambling. Sam recognised the tell-tale signs of her nerves taking over and wished to god he was standing next to her, where ever she was. "It all happened so fast."

"Forget it McNally. You're going to be fine."

"It's just for the day."

"Good. I'll meet you in the black penny after work and you can fill me in."

"Deal."

"Ok…"

They both stayed on the line, neither of them willing to hang up, but neither of them having anything further to say.

"Ok… I better go." Andy spoke softly and Sam ached to see her. "Thanks."

"Be safe. See you later."

Sam put the phone back into his pocket and went back to the car. He sat in and took his drink, sipping it before turning to Dov an offering him a smile.

"Everything ok sir?"

"Yeah. Sure."

Epstien shook his head, realised he was fighting a losing battle and pulled out into traffic.


	5. Chapter 5

Andy walked towards the reception desk in the studio and smiled warmly at the lady witting behind it. It was a wide open space, with floor to ceiling windows, optimizing the natural light in the room. The walls were painted white, in contrast to the stained wood flooring and along the walls were framed photos of other models. It was a lot classier than she expected. And her nerves levelled off a little.

"Hi, my name is Karina Devaroux and I have an appointment with the photographer."

As the receptionist checked on the computer, Andy leaned forward on the desk, her fingers curled beneath it and pressed the first bug against it.

"Oh yeah, executive shoot. Robert is just setting up; if you go through he'll get you sorted."

"Thank you."

Andy smiled and walked towards the door the receptionist gestured to. The heels of her boots made a clicking sound on the wooden floor as she crossed the room. The next room was twice as big. There was a tripod set up, and on the desk behind it were several different lenses. In front of the camera was a red velvet chez-lounge, with a cream satin throw over it.

Whatever calming had settled over her suddenly disappeared.

"Karina?"

"Yeah." Andy spotted the photographer, setting up a shade to direct the light into the right position. He approached her and smiled warmly, held out his hand and she shook it.

"I'm Robert Carson, We spoke on the phone."

"Hi." He was tall and slender, wore faded blue jeans with a black shirt tucked in. He wasn't wearing shoes but still towered over her.

"So you know Gina?"

"We met a few weeks ago at a casting call."

"Still hoping for your big break huh?" Robert had turned away from her to set up the cameras. Andy scanned the room to find the best place for her bugs.

"Always."

"I guess you didn't get a call back."

"No, I don't get many, I'm afraid I'll have to move back to Calgary."

"Calgary?" Robert turned to look at her. His eyes moved up and down her body appraisingly. "We can't have that. Take off your coat, relax." Andy undid her coat and tossed it onto a chair behind her. She walked over to the lounger and perched on the edge. "Gina said it's your first photo shoot?"

"I've done head shots before, obviously, but nothing… nothing like this."

"Well relax, we'll start off with a few head shots, we'll need them anyway. Then we'll take it from there."

"Okay… so should I just sit here?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Robert smiled and Andy couldn't help but relax a little. He fixed the camera to the tripod and looked through it. "Perfect… now all you have to do is smile."

They spend 30 mins taking head shots, and then Robert asked her to pose on the couch. She lay back, sat up, and kneeled on the edge, copying all different poses she had seen in the magazines. Soon she found that she was having fun. Robert was charismatic and put her at ease. He joked with her and made her laugh and when he suggested she undo her dress she barely hesitated.

After another hour of shots they took a break. He worked with the cameras and she went over to her coat. She slipped it over his shoulders without putting her arms into the sleeves then walked around the room looking at the pictures on the walls. One of them was a large print, in a heavy embossed frame. Andy slipped another bug out of her coat pocket and peeled off the protective layer. She reached up and pressed it to the back of the frame, and then noticed Robert was approaching.

"This is beautiful." She ran her hand along the frame as if admiring it.

"That's my wife."

"Your wife?" Looking at the photo for the first time she noticed it was a tasteful pic of a woman on that very lounge Andy had been posing on not minutes before. "She's amazing. Is she a model?"

""Of course she is." Robert smiled at her. "So we've taken the head shots and the sophisticated arty shots…only one group left." Andy let him lead her back to the lounge. "Lose the coat."

Not realising it was still draped over her shoulders Andy blushed and handed it to him.

"So… what should I do?"

"Just relax…" Robert came over and gently pushed her onto the lounge. He took her hair tie out and poofed her hair. The babydoll she was wearing was strapless, so he opened the top button to expose more of her cleavage.

"Eh…"

"There are two ways we can do this… we can go all out and get the props or we can go for the subtle hints… seeing as this is your first venture, I'm thinking we test the waters, we show them a hint of what you have what you can bring to the table and see what offers we get."

"Look, I talked to Gina. She explained about the agencies that pay the best money. So if I have to put on a cowboy hat, or wear a pair of wings then so be it." Andy reached down and pulled a few more buttons on her babydoll open. "I'll do anything not to go back to waiting tables in Calgary."

Robert smiled as he returned to the tripod and connected the camera. . "Okay then, let's do it."

* * *

Hours later back in the locker room in 53rd Andy had changed back into her uniform. She had spent the last 3 hours after the photo shoot in a debriefing, going over and over everything she saw and everything Robert had said, leaving her feel more like a suspect or a witness than an officer. Det Holte had given her a clean mobile phone and she was given instructions to contact him if the studio rang her. Finally when it was over and they were satisfied Kevin Holte thanked her for her cooperation and said he would be in touch.

As soon as she reached 15th division she went for another debriefing with Staff Sgt Best. And after an hour she was exhausted and ready to fall into bed.

"Okay McNally, great job. Go home, get some rest."

"Thank you sir." She stood up and Frank held out his hand. "I hope something comes of it."

"All credit to you Officer." Frank smiled.

Back in the changing room removing her uniform Andy couldn't help but smile at the thought that all she seemed to do today at work was dress and undress repeatedly. And everyone was singing her praises. Andy was laughing aloud when Tracy came in.

"Andy? Where have you been all day?"

"Oh you will not believe the day I've just had-" Andy began but Tracy held up her hand.

"No, no, wait till you hear what happened to me." Tracy held up her windbreaker to show Andy the four slash marks down the back of it.

"What the hell?"

"I jumped off the roof of the high school on Greendale."

"What?!"

"Oh man it was amazing! A Roof top chase with these two guys, you should have seen them, they were like…" Tracy struggled to find the right word. "Gazelles!"

"Gazelles?!" Andy was laughing.

"Chris and I were in pursuit, over rooftops, through alleys, it was amazing. One of them climbed onto the roof top of the high school, I followed, he jumped and I jumped… only he was faking it, he jumped onto a ledge and did this thing with a lamp post that seemed to me to defy the laws of gravity. I didn't!"

"Oh my god!"

"I hit this canopy that was set up for fresher's week, my jacket caught on some of the poles, ripped to shreds."

Andy's hands flew up to cover her mouth. "Oh my god, are you ok?"

"I'm fine. My jacket is a wreck, but it saved my life."

"Did they get away?"

"Chris caught one, he's booking him now." Tracy tossed the ripped jacket into her locker and started to change. "So what's your story?"

"Oh nothing much really, I just spent the day under cover with the sexual crimes unit in 53rd."

"What?!"

"Human trafficking. I had to go in as a model for an escort agency, dress in sexy clothes and get my photos taken."

"Tough day at the office huh!"

"One of the toughest." Andy brushed out her hair and tied it back off her face.

"We're going to grab some food once Chris is finished in booking. Do you want to come?"

"No I can't, I was… em, I'm meeting, um Samintheblackpenny…" she mumbled, suddenly very busy with her hair tie.

"Sorry… what was that? It sounded like you were meeting Sam in the Penny? But that can't be right."

Andy avoided her, and continued to retie her hair, until Tracy came over and moved the locker door where the small mirror hung.

"So? You're meeting Sam?"

"Just for a drink, just to swap notes." Andy reached in for her coat and slipped it on.

"Ok. And then?"

"Tracy, it's just a drink. Look you enjoy your meal with Chris," she said as she backed away from her friend and towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, glad you are ok!"

* * *

Sam sat at the bar in the black penny with his back to the door. He purposefully chose this seat to stop himself from watching it and resisted the urge to turn every second it opened. He checked his watch, it was just past half seven. His shift ended at 5 and he hurried straight to the penny. He knew that Andy arrived back at the 15th just after 6 as he had asked the desk sergeant to tip him off as soon as she got there.

He pictured her going through a debriefing with Frank then in the locker room to get out of her uniform. He figured she should be here any minute now. He finished his drink and ordered another, adding one for her. And as if it was planned, when the bartender placed the drinks on the counter in front of him he heard the familiar groan of the heavy door opening behind him.

He didn't need to turn around to know it was her.

She walked up and took the seat next to him and he slid the drink over to her without looking. They sat in silence for a moment, sipping their drinks. Sam basked in her company, not realising how worried he really was until she was sitting next to him, safe and sound.

"So you made it through the day without me?" She said, casting a sideways glance at him.

"Just." He tilted his bottle towards her and she clinked it with hers. "So…how was it?" He turned on his chair to face her.

"Amazing." She turned to face him and he moved his leg to let her knees in between his. "And terrifying."

"What was the case? Or can you talk about it?"

"Human trafficking. Though I think I was more bait for the suspect, than trained and professional undercover officer."

"Bait? What was your role?"

"Model."

Sam quirked his eyebrows and smiled.

"Well… not really…" she blushed and Sam was intrigued. "Escort really… well… escort to be."

"Wait, you were an escort? At an agency?"

"I was at a photo-studio. Seemingly this guy is selling women. Takes their photos, sells them to the agencies. He has shipped women from parts of Europe. I went in posing as a model to get some shots taken, I planted 5 bugs in the room and got some good intel."

Andy was beaming, and Sam couldn't help but smile. Though he wasn't sure if it was because of her obvious happiness or that his mind was reeling in images of her posing for photos in revealing lingerie.

"Sounds like you had a productive day."

"Pffft! I got paid today to take off my clothes, productive is not the adjective I would use." Andy took a long sip of her drink, loving the way Sam's bottle hovered outside his lips.

"So what happens next?" he said after clearing his throat to get his mind back on track.

"Well Robert is going to call me-"

"Robert?"

"The photographer. He's going to call me in a few days when my photos are ready, and then we meet and decide which ones to use."

"Will you, eh will you need a hand with that?" Sam smiled crookedly.

"Once we pick the right photos," she continued ignoring him. "Then he will submit them to the agencies or, we hope, to the right channels he is using for human trafficking."

"Did they set you up with an apartment or a phone?"

"I got a clean phone and if it goes to the next stage then I go deeper and get the full set up."

"If?"

"Well they might not take the bait."

"Of course they will. Who wouldn't believe you were an escort!"

Andy made a face at him but she saw him smiling. Before she could retort there was a phone ringing from her pocket.

"Aren't you going to get that?" Sam asked pointing at her jeans.

"That's me? I thought I tuned my phone off."

"Didn't want to be disturbed huh," he said as he waggled his eyebrows.

Andy pulled the phone out of her pocket but it wasn't the phone that Sam has seen her with before. They both locked eyes. "This is my UC phone," she said what they both knew.

"Answer it."

"What am I going to say?"

"Nothing, say you are on a date, who cares… answer it!" Sam had his own phone out and was pushing buttons. He showed her the screen and she saw the recording icon. He stepped off his stool to get closer to her and stood between her legs, holding his phone up to hers to tape the conversation.

"Hello?"

"Karina?"

"Yeah, who is this?"

"Oh how quickly they forget… its Robert."

"Oh Robert, Hi."

"Sorry, did I catch you at a bad time?"

"Not really, I was just on a date."

"Oh I'm sorry,"

"That's ok, it wasn't going great," she said looking at Sam with a shrug. "I am happy for the distraction."

Robert laughed and Sam made a face.

"So I was working on the film we took today."

"Already? I thought you said it would be a couple of days?"

"I had some free time and I have a meeting with a client in the morning that I think will be very interested in your style."

"Oh great."

"So I'm going to pick a selection and take them with me. I just wanted to call and let you know that I could have work for you by the end of the week."

"Wow, so soon as that?"

"Good produce never sits on the shelf for long. So I'll call you ok?"

"Yeah, great. Thanks Robert."

Andy hung up the phone and Sam stopped recording. "He sounds charming," he said as he worked on his phone. "I'll email that recording to you."

He put his phone back in his pocket but he still hadn't moved out of the circle of her legs. Andy looked up at him.

"I guess….I guess I should go call Detective Holte."

Sam nodded slowly. But he still didn't move. He reached a hand up and touched her hair, cradling her head. "You did a great job."

"Andy?"

Neither of them moved for a second then as if in slow motion they both turned towards the sound of the voice that called her name. Sam looked at the tall man standing there in Khakis and a denim shirt with disdain. It took a moment longer for Andy to realise it was David Scully. Who she was supposed to be on a date with. Right now. But instead she was in the Penny, with her legs practically wrapped around Sam, and his hand stroking her hair.

"David!" she pushed Sam away and hopped off her stool to go over to him.

"Sorry, did we get our lines mixed; we're supposed to be meeting tonight right?" David stared at Sam who was appraising him back.

"Yeah, yeah I just got off work. I didn't have time to get home yet."

"I could see that."

"Let's go. Let's go now." She took David's hand and pulled him towards the door. "Thanks for the drink Sam," she said without looking at him.

"Any time, partner." Sam called after her, ignoring her glare and instead tipped his bottle up to them, before taking a sip. "Any time."

* * *

**A/N**: Just wanted to say sorry about the acronyms! I just use them as they sound more natural in their speech. I thought I had explained them, obviously not. hopefully its all cleared up now.

_**UC** _- undercover, _**TO** _- training officer, _**SCU** _- sexual crimes unit,


	6. Chapter 6

Andy walked out of the bar with David and tried to smile at him reassuringly. They stood on the sidewalk in silence for a minute as Andy busied herself with her coat. David watched her with interest.

"Did I interrupt something back there?"

"There? Interrupt? No!" Andy looked up at him. "He's my T.O. I've been working in another division today and it was just a debriefing."

"Debriefing?" David cocked his eyebrows at her choice of words.

"You know, just a run down," she said, hating the blush she could feel creeping across her face.

"Look Andy, I don't want to step on anyone's toes," He lifted his hands up and took a step back. "I'm not interested in getting into the middle of anything."

"Middle? No, no, no stepping on anyone's toes. No toes to step on." Andy was speaking fast, her voice was a little higher than normal but she couldn't help it.

David watched her squirm for a second and it didn't take his years of experience in journalism to know she was covering something up. Or for that matter what it was she was covering up.

"Okay… so do you want to try starting tonight again?" he said, enjoying her clamour for his acquiescence,

"Yes!" Andy sighed with relief. "Yes I do."

"So, dinner?"

"I'm starved!"

"I'm parked over here." Andy followed him to his car and smiled as he held the door open for her. When he reached for her seatbelt David came around the front of the car and jumped in. He started the ending and smiled at her before pulling into traffic. "Fancy anything in particular?"

"No, you decide." She put her hand into her pocket and pulled out her phone. "There is just one thing…"

"What?"

"I need to call my boss, about a case."

"Sure, go ahead."

Andy dialled Detective Kevin Holte's number and waited for him to pick up. David turned off the radio so she could have peace for her call.

"Holte."

"Detective Holte," Andy said, clearing her voice before speaking. "It's Andy McNally."

"McNally, what can I do for you?"

"I got a call. He's meeting with a client tomorrow."

"Did you get a time?"

"No, but I recorded the call. I can email it to you."

"Brilliant. I'll take a look and inform surveillance. Good work McNally."

"Thank you, sir."

She ended the call then busied herself with her phone, accessed her email and forwarded on the file she received from Sam.

"That went well?"

"Very." She couldn't stop beaming.

"Well let's make this a celebration dinner."

"Yes. Celebration." Andy smiled at him and an image of Sam burst into her head. The sight of him sitting in the Penny waiting for her, his face when she told him about her role today, how quickly he reacted when her phone rang, how his voice instantly calmed her, and his presence, when he stood so close to her, then put a hand in her hair.

She looked over to David as he was driving and it was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to stop the car. She had no business being here, she was pumped up on adrenaline and needed to be outside, running into the wind, screaming at the top of her voice with all the power her lungs could provide. With someone who would do the same, someone who would understand.

"David…" she began.

"Here we are." He pulled up to the curb but left the engine running. She looked out the window at the restaurant and was startled by the valet opening her door. She stepped out onto the carpet on the sidewalk. David came around the car to join her and handed his keys to the valet.

"David, I'm not dressed for this." She looked down at her black jeans and light blue top.

"Nonsense, you look amazing." He dropped his arm to the small of her back and led her into the restaurant. Inside he spoke softly with the maître'd and they were immediately shown to a small table in the corner by the window. Andy sat in the corner, her back to the wall, with David opposite. From this seat she could see the whole room and felt more relaxed.

"What did you say to him to get such a good table so fast?"

"Just that myself and my wife were on our honeymoon."

"You didn't!" Anny laughed.

"I did, so you better look at me all wifely like tonight, or else we'll be rumbled."

Andy took the menu from the waiter and opened it. But before she could scan the pages for something to eat, someone approaching caught her peripheral vision .She looked up and saw Robert Carson smiling and walking towards her from across the room.

* * *

Sam finished his drink and slapped the bottle back onto the bar and waved his hand for another. His elbows were on the bar and his arms came up to wrap around his head, his fists clenching bunches of his hair.

"Alright, brother?" Oliver sat down, and slapped him on the back. He waved at the barman for a drink.

"Ugh."

"That bad?" his took a long drink of beer.

"Ya know…" Sam began, lifted his head and cocked it to the side as he turned to face Oliver. "I'm a nice guy."

"The nicest."

"I'm a good cop."

"The best."

"I'm smart."

"The smartest."

"And I'm great in bed."

"The…um, the greatest." Oliver looked at him sideways and took another quick drink. "Do you have a point? Or are we at the ego stroking level of drunkenness?"

"Little of both actually." Sam took a drink, finishing a third in one go.

"So you met Andy for that drink?" Sam didn't reply. "Aaaaaaaand she left to go on her date with that reporter anyway?"

Sam's head shot up and he blinked away the dizziness. "Reporter?" The disdain was dripping from his voice so much that Sam reached up and rubbed his chin, as if expecting it to be on his chin. "What do you know about it?"

"I was taking calles from all the rookies today about the B&E case, I hear things."

"What did you hear?"

"He was the guy that was working the division all week for the exposé on Frank."

"That guy?"

"Didn't you see him hanging around?"

"I didn't notice."

"You didn't notice him until he noticed Andy."

Sam scoffed and finished his beer. He waved for another and this time added a short to his order.

"Sam, brother, I love you, but you sir, are an idiot."

"For not making a move on McNally?"

"And for even thinking about making a move" Oliver turned on his chair and put a hand on his friends back. "There are so many things wrong with you and McNally together…but there are so many things wrong with you apart. I can see it, you can too. Everyone can."

"Thanks for clearing that up."

"Fish or cut bait, Sam. Fish or cut bait." Oliver finished his drink and patted his friend on the back before he left.


	7. Chapter 7

Andy froze. The smile on her face was planted and she felt her eyes widening. Slowly she moved her head to face David and a cold sweat broke all over her body. Her stomach flipped and she thought she might vomit, right there on the table in the restaurant.

"David…" she hissed. "David!" He looked up at her and frowned at the plastered expression on her face. "My name is Karina."

"What? Andy what are you talking about?"

"Karina. My name is Karina." Andy smiled over his shoulder. "Robert, hi!"

"What a wonderful surprise." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I saw you from across the room, of course who wouldn't notice you." Andy laughed, took back her hand, and placed it on her lap where she could twist and pull on her cloth napkin beneath the table. "And this is…?"

"This is David Scully. David this is Robert Carson, photographer."

"Oh, the date." Robert looked at David and shook his hand with a crooked smile.

"Yeah."

"And you made it this far?" Robert patted David on the shoulder. "Well done. Anyway I don't want to intrude, I just wanted to say hello."

"Thank you."

"I've finished your shots, and they are stunning, no surprise there."

"Oh thank you Robert."

"Hard to believe it was your first time."

"Yeah you popped my modelling cherry!" Andy laughed self-consciously. David watched the exchange with interest.

"Well I'll go and leave you guys to it. I'll call you tomorrow afternoon."

"Thank you. Talk to you tomorrow."

Robert nodded at David then went back to his friends that were waiting by the door. Andy kept smiling and surreptitiously watching him while holding up her menu, until he left.

"What the hell was that?" David had closed his menu and stared at her.

"David, I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"What?"

"I should have rescheduled," she stood and dropped her napkin onto the table. "I'm in the middle of a case and it could be just about to break."

"Andy, wait-"

"Sorry." She paused for a moment beside the table and dropped a hand on his shoulder, then weaved her way through the restaurant and out onto the street. She hailed a cab and jumped in as she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

"Take me to…um…" _The Penny? The Division? Home? …Sam's? _She thought, and then shook her head wondering why she was even thinking about this. "Home, I have to go home," she said aloud

"You gotta tell me where that is lady," the driver called out over his shoulder.

"Sorry, yeah." She reeled out her address then hit redial on her phone.

"McNally? My wife is going to get suspicious."

"Sir, I just ran into Carson."

"What? Where?" All the joking was gone from his voice.

"I was at Terra on Younge St."

"Okay, I'll check in with his tail and see if his plans change. Did he make you?"

"No sir, no. He couldn't have. We spoke-"

"What did he say?"

"He just said that he was finished he shots, he was meeting the client tomorrow and that he would call me after the meeting."

"Okay. I'll be in 15 Division tomorrow morning and we'll go over the case."

"Yes sir, sorry sir… he caught me by surprise."

"Forget it McNally. It sounds like you handled it just fine. Talk to you tomorrow."

* * *

Sam leaned on the coffee counter, his head heavy and hanging low. The afternoon shift at 15 was just arriving and the chatter level was higher than he thought he could bear. Already on his third cup he was beginning to regret his decision to come in, remembering how warm and comfy his bed was. His shoulders slumped as he stood away to make room for the rest that were awaiting their morning fix.

"Hey!" Oliver came up beside him, his voice loud and jovial.

"Whoa…not so loud."

"Problem?" Oliver slapped him on the back and Sam grunted. "Got a case of the Mondays?"

"It's Wednesday."

They walked towards the parade room and sat down. Sam put his cup down beside him as he rummaged in his pocket for some pills. He quickly swallowed 2 and drowned them with his bitter coffee.

"I guess you got a bad pint last night then."

"Yeah… one bad one."

"Out of how many?"

"Too many."

He spotted Andy coming out of the locker room, laughing and talking with Tracy and tying her hair back into a ponytail. She wasn't in uniform but was still coming into the parade room. He watched as she came into the room and scanned it, and then smiled at him as she took her seat. He lifted his cup and smiled thinly back.

"Why isn't McNally wearing her uniform?" Oliver whispered.

"No idea."

The room hushed as Staff Sgt Best entered and took to the podium. "Alright guys, first of all… congratulations to Nash and Diaz for their amazing display of city gymnastics over at the high school yesterday." He led the room in applause. "Not only did they catch one of the suspects, but we ended up with great intel. Which brings me to todays operations."

He turned to the whiteboard. The pics from yesterday were still up. He added another one.

"This gang has been working the lower west side for years. And now we have one of their main members. "Detective Barber?"

Gerry came up to the front of the room and pointed at the local map on the wall. "Amelia St. Nice affluent peaceful neighbourhood is the home of one Jeremy Flood. According to our source this is the base of operations, all planning and divisions of labour happen at this location."

"Nash and Diaz, this was your collar, you can go with the team."

"Yes sir!" they both said in unison and shared a smile.

"The rest of you assignments are on the board. Serve and protect." The crowd dispersed as some went to the board and others back to their desks. Frank walked through the office and tapped Andy on the shoulder with the rolled up files in his hand. "McNally, in my office."

"Yes sir."

Sam watched the exchange with interest. She leaned into Tracy and whispered something, Tracy laughed, Andy smiled, looked back at Sam, a crooked smirk on her lips, and then left the room.

"What's going on?" Oliver asked

"No idea." Sam was still watching Andy cross the bullpen after Frank and then enter his office.

"Sam, I want you with me one this today." Gerry Barber came over and stood in front of him with his hands on his hips. "Sam…hey buddy!"

"Huh?" Sam turned his attention back to Gerry. "What? Oh yeah sure, of course."

"You okay?."

"He's hungover." Oliver stood away from the table and slapped Sam on the back again, a little harder than was necessary.

"Was it a good night?"

"The best." Sam stood up and followed Gerry to his desk. "What's the plan?"

"That guy Diaz came in with yesterday, he sang like a canary." Gerry pulled up the file on his computer and Sam leaned down with one hand on the desk, the other on the back of Gerry's chair.

"How reliable?"

"No way of knowing. None of these guys are in the system. One of them recently graduated from the Uni with a degree in engineering."

"I need you to go with Diaz and Nash to the location; I have a swat team ready to go."

"Okay, I'm on it." Sam straightened and fixed his utility belt. He looked over at Frank and Andy still talking in his office. "So, what's goin on over there?" Sam nodded his head over to them.

"Dunno." Gerry glanced up, but quickly turned his attention back to the screen. Sam stood behind him watching Andy without even trying to disguise it.

"Hey Gerry…" Oliver approached, with two files and slapped them onto his desk. "Can you take a look at something for me?"

"Now? I'm kinda busy, brother!"

"Yesterday when I was manning the phones I got a missing persons report."

"Missing person?"

"College student, 21, was last seen walking out of the library day before yesterday."

"Oliver, I don't have time."

"But listen to me for a second. Don't you think she looks like the Jane Doe you fished out of the bay?"

This caught Gerry's attention. He turned to Oliver and took the file.

"They aren't the same."

"No, but they are similar. Very similar."

"According to the coroner that Jane doe was in the water for a few weeks. If your missing person… Amanda Fulson was in the Uni library the day before yesterday then it can't be her."

"Yeah… but the similarity, it's uncanny."

"Setting off your alarm bells?" Gerry stood up and passed the files back to Oliver and was surprised to see Sam still standing there. "Sorry but I don't know what to tell you."

Oliver took the files and walked off, scratching his head.

"Sam, what are you still doing here…Sam," He nudged his friend with an elbow in the ribs to get his attention.

"McNally was working UC yesterday; it was only supposed to be for a day. But she got a call last night, and I think they are putting her in deep today." Sam spoke without taking his eyes off her.

"They wouldn't put her in UC if they didn't think she was good enough."

"She is good enough."

Gerry smiled. "But that's not enough stop you from worrying." He slapped Sam on the back with enough force to make him stumble forward. "So get your mind off that, and back on this case."

"Yeah, I'm on it." Sam took the file Gerry pressed to his chest. He started to walk through the bullpen and out to the car lot where the rest of the team would be waiting for him, when he noticed Andy leaving Franks office. She hurried across the room and into the ladies locker room. Sam changed his direction and followed her.

Andy stood at her locker and pulled out the various lingerie items. She laid them out on the bench and pulled a shoulder bag out from the bottom of her locker. When Sam entered she was putting more clothes into the bag with some toiletries.

"Are you quitting on us McNally?" He said with a smile and he leaned against the locker beside hers.

"No, but I have to go…for a few days."

"Days?"

"Maybe weeks." She glanced up at him as she carefully folded the lingerie and placed them into her bag. Sam watched with interest.

"Are you ready for this?"

"What do you think?"

She stood up straight, crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. Sam said nothing. He wasn't sure if she was being defiant, challenging him to doubt her, or if she was willing him to encourage her. He wasn't sure which one would be more likely to keep her here so he said nothing.

"I have to go." She picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

Sam turned, pressed his back to the lockers to let her pass, but grabbed her arm just when she was in front of him. He turned her to face him. "How did your date go?" He smiled at the blush that crept up her neck and coloured her cheeks. Her eyes closed over and when she opened them she avoided his eyes.

"That good huh."

She couldn't help the little laugh that escaped, and so she just shrugged.

"Goodbye Sam."

"Goodbye McNally."

She stood there for a moment more then walked away, his hand on her arm for as long as he could reach her.

* * *

**A/N**: So I've been updating as quickly as I've been writing, couple of updates a day, but I've been off work and I go back in the morning (sigh). Hopefully I'll still be able to update daily.


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight Days Later…**

The Penny was busier than normal when Sam entered. Several people were crowded around the dart board and more around the pool table. He spotted the rookies in the corner, laughing and drinking from 2 pitchers. Oliver was at the bar, his head bowed over as he tried to take a phone call. Gerry was dancing slowly with Tracy in the middle of the bar, despite the music being a fast country song. Then he couldn't help it, he scanned the room again, looking for her dark hair or her smile. But like the other 5 evenings he had been in here scanning the room, he didn't see her.

Sam chose a seat at the back of the bar. He motioned to the bartender for a pint and a short then reached up and rubbed a hand across his face. It had been eight days since Andy had walked out of Division 15, a bag on her shoulder full of her belongings as if she wasn't coming back. Every morning he came in for shift and hoped to find her pouring coffee or sitting in the parade room. He wondered what her UC was like, the things she had to do, and the lingerie he saw her packing was at the top of his thoughts, infecting them.

When the drinks were placed in front of him he looked up to see Oliver slipping into the seat beside him. Sam nodded, tossed the whiskey back in one then slammed the shot glass back onto the counter.

"Zoey just called."

"Let me guess, she wants you back?" Sam sipped his beer.

"Yeah."

"So why aren't you going back?" Oliver said nothing. His arms were resting on the bar but he was watching Sam. "What?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" Oliver interlocked his fingers

"Isn't that what I just asked you?"

"Sam, you've been here every night this week, until closing." Sam took another sip. "You can't go on like this."

After a long sip Sam turned to look at Oliver. "Go home to your wife."

Before Oliver could respond, Gerry came hurrying over. "They found her." He was on the phone, covering the mouth piece while he spoke to them. "Amanda Fulson. They found her in the bay."

He raced out of the bar with Sam and Oliver behind him. Back at the division the bullpen was awash with activity. Gerry went straight to the crime scene. The wall in the parade room had her photo on it. Along with the photos of three other missing women. All went missing from a 5 block radius, two of which had now been pulled out of the bay.

Sam was on the phone, talking with Gerry who was describing the scene and asking Sam to check up on CCTV footage in the area. Oliver stepped closer to the wall. His hand came up to touch the smiling photo of Amanda.

"She was coming out of the library; her car was still parked there so she must have been abducted from the carpark."

"All the carpark footage was checked." Sam stepped up behind him.

"But now we have a destination, maybe we can find something else."

"I'm on my way out to get the footage. Coming?"

"Couldn't stop me."

* * *

Andy pulled up one thigh high stocking and attached it to a red garter. She reached down to pull up the other one.

"Stop right there… hold it."

A bright flash lit up the shaded room and she look up. Her hair framed her face; she smiled coyly and blinked. In only eight days she had become more than used to Roberts directions when they were taking shots. He circled her slowly, the room pulsating with the flashes from his camera, his words making her pull the stocking up slowly, lean back with her hands behind her and tossed her hair.

"Beautiful." Robert lowered the camera and looked at her appreciatively.

"Thanks." She sat up, picked up her robe and covered up. "So Robert, it's been over a week, I'm not getting much calls."

"I know, I know." He was over at the camera table, working with the lenses.

"Gina said she got a big pay out after only 3 days. What am I doing wrong?"

"Wrong?" Robert looked over at her, her robe was tied loosely, he could see the crimson lace bra and matching panties and smiled. "Nothing, at all. The agencies I've sent your shots too are light. Dates and corporate events."

"Yeah I know, if I ever eat any more hors d'oeuvres I'm going to be sick!"

"But the reason for that is because I've been saving you for something special."

"Special?"

"It's a long term contract, travel involved with a single company."

"Sounds glamorous."

"Okay, we have an hour to go before my next client. Do you want to change?"

"Change?" she glanced down at what she was wearing and wondered what else he had in mind; she couldn't wear anything any more revealing.

"Or just lose the robe, lose the bra and we'll take it from there."

* * *

Sam rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands and tried to focus back on the screen in front of him. He had spent the night watching footage. His eyes were streaming, and his head was pounding. And worse, he had nothing to show for it.

"Okay Sammy, I got it from here." Oliver stood behind him, pulling his chair back to force Sam out of it

"I've checked the car park footage for a few days, checked dundas traffic cameras and the ones out on the pier, each for the night of her abduction."

Sam stood and stretched his arms up high above his head.

"Gerry said the body was in there for maybe 72 hours. Badly beaten."

"If she was in there for 72 hours, but was missing for what… 4 days before that? 5? Where was she until then?"

"He must have taken her somewhere first. Some of the injuries were pre mortom, some were post."

Sam shook his head. He took his jacket from the back of his chair and put it on. "Call me if you find anything, I need to get some sleep."

The drive home for Sam was almost too much. His eyes were heavy and he struggled to keep them open. At a red traffic light he let them droop for what he thought was a second, only to be awoken with the blaring horns of the cars behind him. Startled Sam shook his head and saw the light was green.

"Alright, alright." He drove on but at the first parking space he could find he pulled in. He dry washed his face and let out a deep breath then jumped out of the car. The coffee shop across the road was brimming with early risers and he joined the back of the queue and he cursed his civilian clothing, knowing if he was in uniform he might be able to get an order quicker. It moved tortuously slowly and felt like an eternity before he got to the front.

More painful waiting and Sam realised he could have been home drinking his own coffee by now if he had kept driving. But even standing in the coffee shop, leaning against the high counter his eyes drooped and he knew he was making the right decision.

"Swarek," the waitress called as she put a large cup onto the counter.

"Thanks." He took the cup and reached for his sunglasses and was slipping them on when he tried to open the door. Someone behind him helped him out, opened the door and let him walk through. "Much appreciated," he said over his shoulder then turned to walked out and bumped into someone else, knocking them and his cup to the ground, his coffee spilling at his feet. "Oh god! I'm sorry!"

Sam reached a hand down and froze at the sight of Andy McNally sprawled out on the sidewalk beneath him. She was wearing a knee length trench coat, buttoned up fully and the belt tied around her waist, with boots that went higher, mid-thigh he presumed.

"Are you ok?" He crouched next to her, took her hand with his, the other on her elbow he helped her stand.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine."

"What are you doing here?" He couldn't bring himself let go of her hand, and now that she was standing the outfit she wore was a magnet for his eyes.

Andy tossed a look over her shoulder, a panicked expression marring her face. "Sam, don't."

"Are you on? Right now?" Sam looked around but no one seemed to be watching or approaching them.

"Yes, just on my way for another photo shoot."

"How is it going?" He squeezed her hand, hoping she would understand what it meant.

"Slowly." She squeezed him back. "He has already set me up for meetings with 4 different agencies, but Detective Holte says they all check out. I'm beginning to think this is going to be a bust. There is a dinner event tomorrow night with a load of the other girls. Holte thinks this will be my best chance to get some intel."

"These things can take time." Sam's voice was low and without realising it his hand was tightening around hers and ever so slowly he was pulling her towards him.

They stood like that for a moment, their entwined hands between them the only barrier that stopped her from pressing her body to his. Sam's head was low, he could smell her shampoo, her soap, and it was almost too much to bear. He felt her looking at him, expectant and eager but frozen in place. Sudden realisation of what he was doing and where he was, washed over Sam and he loosened his grip on her hand. Taking the cue, Andy let go and busied herself as she smoothed down the front of her coat.

"Karina?"

Andy turned on her heel and planted a smile on her face. "Robert, I was just on my way."

"Is everything ok?" He looked Sam up and down, noted the dishelved look and protective stance.

"Yeah, fine, totally fine."

"Robert Carson," he said holding his hand out to Sam.

"Sam." He shook it firmly.

"Sam?" he said clearly waiting for an elaboration.

"Yeah, Sam."

There was an awkward silence. Andy felt it building and tried to break it.

"This is… Sam.. my…um, my…"

Andy was flustered. She fixed her coat, her hair and joined her hands in front of her.

"Date." Sam finished for her. "Or at least I was last night. I guess I still am." He snaked an arm around her and pulled her against him.

Robert laughed. "Looks like she kept you up all night."

"Yep, she always does." He muttered against her head.

"Always?"

"I haven't had a good night's sleep since I met this lady." Sam spoke softly as if it was meant just for her. Andy felt a blush on her cheeks and bowed her head with a smile.

"I can well believe that. I'm just going to grab a coffee. I'll meet you at the studio. Will you be joining us for the shoot today Sam?"

"No!" Andy blurted out, the horror of having Sam watch her as she writhe on a couch, bending and posing in nothing more than a pair of panties and a bra. "No, he has to go to work."

"Yeah I gotta get to the site." He tossed his thumb over his shoulder and motioned as if needing to get away.

"Ok well it was a pleasure to meet you Sam." Robert shook his hand again then stepped into the coffee shop. The door closed with a clunk and Andy let out all the breath that was burning her lungs.

"Oh god!" she moaned and covered her face with her hands.

"Relax Andy, its ok, you covered it."

"_I_ panicked, _you_ covered."

"Relax." Sam put a hand on each of her forearms and turned her to face him. "He can still see us. He's probably watching us right now."

"Okay, I'm okay." She took a few more breaths and tried to smile at him.

"I'll go." But he didn't move. "I should…"

Before he could think it through, before he could stop himself, telling himself it was necessary, he leaned down and kissed her. What was supposed to be a chaste, soft kiss turned to something more when she gasped in surprise at the sensation of his warm lips against hers. Mouth open, tongues entwined, one hand moved up her neck and buried in her hair, sending shivers down her spine, the other wrapped tightly around her, pulling her closer if that was possible.

When he released her they stood stock still. Bodies still touching, hands still roaming and their eyes locked.

"Sam…"

"Goodbye McNally." Slowly Sam extricated himself from her grasp. He stepped backwards holding her at arm's length as if this was the only way he could resist her. He continued to step back until he couldn't reach her anymore then he dropped her hands and turned, raced across the street and jumped into his car. Andy watched him take off at speed and was still standing there when Robert came out of the coffee shop.

"That must have been some date."

"Yeah, it was." She couldn't help the smile that crept over her lips.

* * *

**A/N:** okay just another chapter, this time (finally) getting past set up and getting to the good bits. :D


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N**: Sorry for the delay... but this is a super long chapter! Way longer than it was meant to be. I had a point where I wanted it to stop and it took a bit more manoeuvring to get there than I had originally thought!

* * *

Sam made it home in record speed. His heart was beating faster than he though was safe and he struggled to regulate even his breathing. He could still feel her lips on his, the feel of her hair combing through his fingers. He kicked off his shoes at the door and threw his coat onto the couch as he walked through the living room. He peeled off his shirt and dropped it to the floor then undid his belt and dropped his jeans to the floor with a thud, his phone and wallet making a clatter on his wooden floors.

He pulled his curtains, and thanked god that he had purchased the blackout ones as the room plunged into a still darkness. He slipped in between the sheets, and sighed at the cool sensation against his hot skin.

His lips tingled, his fingers twitched and his mind raced. The kiss played over and over affecting his nerves and holding sleep away. She was warm and soft and wearing god knows what under that coat. Sam rolled over and clutched a pillow to bury his face.

He must have fallen asleep as it was hours later when he was rudely awoken by his phone ringing. He reached over to the bedside locker but it wasn't there. He sat up with a moan and pulled himself off the bed to kick the jeans on the floor. His phone slid out of his pocket and he snatched it up.

"What!" he barked into it as he lowered himself onto the bed and fell back.

"Swarek, you need to come down to the station."

_Shit_, he thought. Franks voice was level but Sam could hear the undertones of fury in it. "I'll be right there."

* * *

Andy sat in Frank's office with Kevin Holte pacing behind her. Frank was sitting back in his chair, his hands joined in front of him, his fingers steepled as he watched Kevin.

"He had no right, no business, sticking his nose in."

"He didn't-" Andy began but it was no use. She was tired of explaining that she had run into Sam, literally, by accident.

"I won't have him mess up this investigation."

"This investigation isn't going anywhere. It's been the same thing over and over."

"It's only been a week."

"A week of nothing." Andy stood up and turned to face Kevin. "I've gone to the studio every day, I've spoken to the other models, the receptionist, the photographer. No one had hinted at any duress. I've been to the homes of two of the models and they were living in luxury."

"This means nothing," Kevin countered but Andy continued.

"It means that these women are not being held captive by human traffickers. They have the freedom to come and go as they please, one of them is a student, two of the others are married with kids. As best as I can tell-"

"As best as the rookie can tell," Kevin bit out harshly. "Well then let's shut down this whole operation! The rookie who has been on the job for a year says it's clean!"

"I'm talking to those people _every day_. I should know."

"You should know your place."

"That's enough." Frank stood up. His hands were on his hips and he distributed his glare evenly amongst the two of them.

Sam chose this moment to arrive. He knocked on the door and pushed it open. He looked at Andy but she looked away. He closed the door behind him and stepped further into the room.

"Sir."

"Sam, can you recount what happened this morning on King St."

"I'm sure Officer McNally filled you in." She still wouldn't look at him.

"I'd like to hear it from you."

Sam took a breath, held it for a second then released it. He stood with his hands clasped in front of him. It wasn't the first time he was pulled up for his actions on the street, it wouldn't be the last one either. "I stayed at the division all night looking at footage for the missing women, Amanda Fulson that was found in the bay. When I was driving home, I felt tired and sleepy, fearing for my safety, and those around me," His voice was drenched in disdain, for needing to explain, for the situation he found himself in but mainly for having been woken up. "I pulled up and went into the coffee shop for a drink. Upon exiting I bumped into Officer McNally, knocking her to the ground. I helped her up at which point Robert Carson arrived on scene. We spoke for a moment, then he went in to the store, and I left."

"You spoke for a moment? So why is it that he thinks you are dating McNally?" It was Kevin who asked the question, an accusatory tone in his voice.

"I told him I was." Sam spoke without hesitation.

"Why would you do that?"

"He arrived when I was picking up Officer McNally, my arm was around her person. It was the easiest explanation."

"Well your easy explanation just got you lured into my UC operation."

"Sorry?" Sam's official stance seemed to relax and he turned a little to face Kevin, his eyes darting over to Andy but hers were averted.

"There is a dinner function. Karina is invited. Five of the other models will be there as well as the photographer and three of his biggest clients. Now you too are invited."

"Just say I'm busy or out of town. What's the big deal?"

"He insisted." It was Andy who spoke. The three men looked at her. "I told him it was a one night stand, I wasn't sure how to get in touch with you, that I didn't really know you. I tried it all. But he said it would be good for business for the clients to see how looked like on the arm of a man."

Sam tried his best not to smile, but the corner of his lips twitched.

"I'm glad you find this amusing Swarek!" Kevin roared.

"What!" Sam spread his arms in defence of his mirth. "It's a diner party; it's one night UC with some models and a photographer! I've lasted over 8 months with a bunch of drug addicts!"

"You're messing with the investigation." Kevin stepped closer to Sam, getting in his face, his fist balled, his finger poking Sam's chest.

"Okay, okay." Frank came around his desk and separated them. He had his hand on Sam's chest and pushed Kevin away. "What's done is done. Let's use this to our advantage. Sam has more than enough experience UC to handle anything and it will be great backup for McNally."

Sam backed away and Frank dropped his hand. Kevin paced on the other side of the room. McNally leaned against the table, her arms crossed over her chest, her head hanging low.

"This isn't a bunch of addicts, that don't know one day from the next. These guys are professionals, they will remember the stories you tell, they will watch the way you act, move, talk and interact."

"What time is the party?" Sam slipped his hands into his pockets.

Kevin huffed a breath of air through his nose. "We're setting McNally up at her apartment at 7. Full works, wires and cameras."

"Okay, I guess I'll meet you guys there. Give me the address."

"You don't have it?" This time it was Kevin's lips that twitched and Sam who glared.

"No."

"McNally, give him the details," he said over his shoulder as he left the room.

The door shut with a resounding clunk, the glass shaking with the impact. McNally stood away from the desk and brushed down the front of her top, for something to do. She was still avoiding Sam's eyes so he kept watching her, waiting.

"What the hell is it with you two?" Frank said as he returned to his seat behind his desk. "You are like trouble magnets."

"Sir, any word on the women they pulled from the bay?"

"Same as the last one. Missing for 48 hours, had been in the bay for about 36."

"Nothing came up on the footage?"

"Not yet, no."

"I'll have to be taken out of rotation for today."

"Yeah, it's been sorted. You should go home, get some sleep. You look like hell."

"Yes, sir."

"Get out of here, I'll expect a report in the morning."

Sam walked to the door and opened it for Andy to walk through. He followed her through the bull pen and into the gym, by the locker room, where they would get some privacy. Before the door was even closed she turned to him, lifted her hands to his chest and looked up at him with her brow furrowed.

"Sam, I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Andy what are you sorry for?" He covered her hands with his own, holding them in place.

"It got out of hand. He wouldn't stop talking about you; he kept asking where and when we met and what kind of guy you were. I tried to keep it vague but kept it somewhat truthful, like you said I should."

She took her hands away and started to pace the room.

"Andy, relax. You did fine. There was nothing else you could have done."

"Now you're involved in this case."

"Look, Andy…stop!" He tried to grab her but she brushed his arms away with an annoyed huff of breath. "It's just a party. We'll go, and then I'll leave. That can be the end of it."

Her pacing slowed and on the turn she stopped. She faced him, looked him directly in the eyes and let out a deep breath.

"Okay, well its black tie."

"A tux? Wait no one said anything about a tux." Sam took some steps back, his hands up defensively.

"Sam, really? I'm not in the mood." She chastised him but his smiled just widened. "You have to be at mine by 7 to get wired up. Here is the address." She passed him a slip of paper then walked towards the door.

"Yes, sir." He took the paper, not moving out of her way to the door so she had to brush past him.

"And Frank is right, go home and get some sleep, you look like hell."

* * *

Andy pulled a teal green dress from the box on the table and held it out. It had black lace trimming around the chest and thin black straps. It would reach to her ankles and was silken without shape. She knew it would cling to her body in all the right places.

"This is amazing." She turned to Officer Janie Williams who delivered it. "Why did the police force buy me this?"

"Buy?" Janie laughed. "Requisitioned more like."

Andy let the dress drop back into the box and Janie laughed again. "Requisitioned… like from a hooker?"

"No! Estate seizures and what not."

"Oh, that's much better." Andy picked it up again then made her way to the bathroom to change. Just as she thought it fell around her, hitting her chest, her hips and her ass perfectly. She turned this way and that, as she tried to check out all the angles she could in the mirror then smiled. Back in the living room Janie had the mic pack all set out ready to attach it to her.

"You look amazing," she said when Andy came out. Her hair fell loose around her face, her makeup was subtle. "What are you going to do with your hair?"

"I dunno… up, you think?"

"Not too tight, maybe loosely."

Andy combed it out then twirled it from her temples on each side, tying it at the back. Tendrils fell framing her face. She went back to the luggage that Janie had brought and rummaged for the jewellery box she had seen earlier.

"There isn't really anywhere I can hide a pack in that dress." Janie circled Andy as she checked for a necklace to wear. "It ill have to be on your shawl, but it means you'll have to carry it with you all night."

"That's ok. I think we're going to be calling it an early night anyway."

"Oh?" Janie smiled as she picked up Andy's shawl. There were folds in it that she could put the pack and she snaked the wire around the hem to fix the mic.

"Not like… I mean…nevermind." Andy fastened a simple silver chain around her neck and fixed it in place. "So… does this look ok?"

Andy stepped back to allow Janie to admire her outfit and was glad the officer smiled warmly.

"Amazing."

The doorbell rang as Andy reached for her shoes. She picked them up and carried them to the door, pausing for a moment to ensure that Janie had covered up the equipment. A quick nod and Andy pulled the door open.

Sam stood on the other side. He was wearing a tux but had the tie in his hand and his coat was draped over his arm. He started to talk but found himself standing in the doorway, his mouth agape as Andy opened the door fully and gestured for him to enter.

"You look…" He managed to get out as he took enough steps into her place to allow her to close the door.

"So do you."

Andy blushed under his scrutiny and led him down the hall to the open plan living room. He walked behind her, leaving enough distance so he could watch her move beneath the shimmering flow of the dress she was wearing. The shoes in her hand just added to the appeal and he wondered if he could convince her to carry them like that all night. He managed to compose himself enough when he spotted Janie Williams from 53rd sitting on the arm chair waiting for them to return.

"Hello Officer Swarek."

"Hey."

"If you are ready I can attach a mic pack to you now." Sam dropped his coat and slipped off the tux jacket to fold it neatly over the back of the chair. He walked over to where Janie was laying out wires. "Turn." He turned on the spot, his arms out wide to get them out of the way. She attached the pack to the centre of the back of his trousers, and covered it with his shirt and sash. Then she fed the wire around his waist and under his sash at the front. She undid a couple of buttons and fed it up his shirt. Janie glanced up at his face as her fingers brushed his chest but Sam was watching Andy put on her shoes.

Sam closed his eyes over, and hoped Janie wouldn't be able to tell how fast his heart was beating. That dress. The colour was sublime but the shape, against her body, moving when she did, curving and flowing. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, stared straight ahead at a fixed point on the wall.

"There." Janie was standing in front of him, fastening the mic to the seam of his shirt, where it wouldn't be seen. "Comfortable?"

"Yeah, yeah its fine."

She passed him a small box and he opened it to pull out a small flesh coloured then slipped it into his left ear.

"Working?" Janie spoke into a mike she has set up on the table. "Test, test, 1, 2, test."

"Yep."

"No place for a pack on McNally, its attached to her shawl."

"Ok." Sam's eyes kept staring at that one spot. Andy was approaching and his concentration was waning. He passed her the small box an she slipped one of the ear buds into her own ear.

"Alright then, I'll take the equipment to the hold up." Janie packed up her sound equipment and latched the case closed. "Have a good night."

The door closed behind her and left the room with a silence that was thick like fog.

"Having trouble with the tie?"

"Yeah, I can never tie these things. You?"

"No!" Andy laughed. "C'mon how hard can it be?" She picked up the tie and tossed it to him.

"It's like Chinese water torture." He crossed the room to the fireplace that had a large mirror over it and looped it around his neck. "Just when you think you a have it sorted, it's uneven or twisted."

Andy watched him squirm with the tie for a moment then crossed the room to help him. She stood in front of him and tried to tie it.

"No, turn, I can't do it this way." He turned on the spot but she couldn't reach. "Over here…" Still holding the tie that was looped around his neck, she dragged him across the room and pushed him into one of the dining chairs. She stood behind him and reached around to tie it. His leaned his head back to allow her more access to his neck and immediately regretted this decision when he came into contact with her chest.

"Okay, so what's my story?" he asked as he tried to keep his mind off her arms that brushed against his face, her fingers on his neck and her breasts on the back of his head.

"One night stand."

"Classy."

She slapped the back of his head and he smiled. "We met at 403."

"Oh god, I wouldn't be caught dead in that bar."

"Well you were, you were on a work night out. We met, hit it off…"

"And?"

"And the next morning you were walking me to the studio." She smoothened out the edges of the tie and walked around to the front of his seat to check it out. She shrugged and walked away, over to the mirror to give her make up one last check.

"So what do I do?" Sam walked over to pick up his jacket and slipped it on.

"I didn't say."

"You met me at a work do and you didn't find out my job?"

"I told him we didn't spend too much time talking."

Sam laughed. He picked up his coat and her shawl and approached her as she stepped away from the mirror. He held her shawl out, fanned for her to step into. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Relax Andy," he offered her the crook of his elbow and she snaked her arm through it. "This is going to be a cakewalk."

The party was held in a private room of a swanky bar Sam had never been in. At the door they took his coat but Andy held onto her shawl. They were escorted upstairs. Sam led the way, holding his hand back for Andy to take. She slipped her hand into his, and his warm fingers enveloped hers with a squeeze. The music was loud enough to kill any awkward silence but not too loud to stifle any conversation. They were met at the door by a waiter who offered them glasses of champagne. They each took one and clinked them together before taking a sip.

Sam surveyed the room and was glad the lights were low enough to disguise any wires or bugs that might slip out of place but on the other hand wished there was better lighting to help him to read the other guests.

"Robert is here," Andy said nodding her head in the right direction, not missing the fact that Sam was still holding her hand, and had in fact taken a tighter grip, interlocking their fingers.

Sam looked over to see him with an arm draped around a tall stunning blonde who was sipping champagne and looking in the other direction.

"That's his wife?"

"Yeah, she was at the studio once but she didn't talk to me. She spoke with Robert, made some calls then left."

"She doesn't seem too interested in talking to him now."

Andy looked over and noticed his wife was checking her phone. Robert was talking to another model but his arm was latched around his wife's shoulders.

"Shall we?" Sam gestured for Andy to lead the way.

They crossed the room. It was decorated with stylish photographs, each one lit with a separate spot light. The redbrick walls were used instead of paint or wall paper and the floors were hard oak. In the centre of the room was a large rectangular table that was set seat 16 and circling the room were two waiters, one with champagne, and the other with food tasters. Sam counted three other women, two of them with partners and Robert and his wife.

"Oh Karina, you finally made it!" Robert exclaimed as they approached. He took his arm from his wife and hugged Andy for a moment longer than was necessary. Sam looked to the wife to see if she was as irritated by this as he but she didn't even seem to notice. "Delighted! Wait till you see the shots we got today. Magnificent! Some of the best I've ever taken."

"Thanks!" Andy stepped out of the circle of his arms and back into Sam's. She tried not to show her surprise at his arm around her waist, his hand on her him. "You met Sam this morning."

"Oh yea, the lucky one night stand." Robert looked him up and down and held out his hand. Sam shook it quickly with a tight smile. Andy blushed and bowed her head and Sam pulled her even closer.

"And this is your wife?"

"Yes, this is Olivia. Imagine that, my falling for the only thing to light up my film in 15 years." Robert put an arm around his wife and kissed her cheek but she didn't look up to join in the conversation. Instead she lifted her phone to her ear, held up a finger and walked away. "And just like that, she's gone!"

Robert tried to make light of the situation but Sam saw his annoyance. Before the conversation could continue two other couples arrived and Robert excused himself to greet them.

"You've been hanging around with this guy all week?"

"Yeah. Scintillating conversation eh!"

"What kind of intel have you managed to get?"

"Client names and numbers, all clean. Full book of models he's used in the last 7 years. Most of who have already been checked and cleared."

Sam lifted a hand to cover his mic and Andy did the same to the one in her shawl.

"Do you even think there is anything here worth investigating?"

Andy hesitated. She looked around the room then up at Sam. She shook her head. Sam nodded his acknowledgement and then smiled at the woman who was approaching them.

The party was possibly the most bored Sam had been his entire life. He never thought, being surrounded by models, dressed in revealing clothes, eating food he couldn't pronounce and sipping champagne would be boring but this party was the living proof. Andy worked the room, charmed the women, flirted with the men and Sam struggled to keep up. He wasn't light on charm but his concentration levels were dropping.

Every time she walked past the spot lights he would glimpse a moment where it seems like her dress was transparent. His eyes chased her all night hoping for a better look and though he chastised himself for not paying enough attention to the people in the room but after spending a few hours in their company he couldn't fathom any of them masterminding any kind of international human trafficking plot.

Sam had been sipping the same glass of champagne all evening, but as Andy looked over, from across the room and smiled he swallowed, took a breath, then downed it in one. A passing waiter took his empty glass and Sam took a full one from the proffered tray. He leaned back against the wall and watched her. One hand brushed her hair out of her eyes; the other held her glass, the same one she had been nursing. She was talking with Robert and another one of the models.

As if she could feel his eyes on her, she touched her neck, rubbing where it ran into her shoulder. Sam had to pull his eyes away. He walked around the room; stopping at the photos on the wall and realised he was looking at photos of the models he had just had dinner with. Alarm bells went off in his head. He had just walked by four shots. There were three more photos and two more women in the room. Sam looked over at Andy and wondered if she knew she was on the wall.

He tried to look nonchalant as possible as he walked along the wall to look at the remaining photos. Not Andy, two more to go.

He walked another two meters, tossing a glance over his shoulder to see Andy looking over at him. He smiled and walked on.

Not Andy, one left to go. He kept walking. Another glance over his shoulder and he saw the group was dispersing. People were putting on coats and kissing that two-cheek goodbye kiss at the door.

"Sam," Andy called him. She had left the group she was talking to and was approaching him. "Sam, it's time to go."

"Yeah," he said but he kept walking. He found himself staring at the photo. It was an A2 size photo, printed on canvas, black and white with a spotlight shining on it from below. Andy was wearing matching panties and a bra; she had on a man's white dress shirt. It was open and her hands clutched the sides, as she pulled it off her shoulders. Her hair was down and in her face; she was looking at the camera between the locks.

"Hey, C'mon, let get out of here."

"Sure… one sec…" Sam folded his arms, lifted one hand up to his chin and stroked it thoughtfully.

"What? What are you-" She came up next to him and looked at the photo he was studying. "Oh my god!" Andy jumped in front of the photo, trying to block his view. "Sam! Stop it!"

Sam bent his head left then right but she blocked his view, then took his arm and pulled him away.

"Spoilsport." He let her pull him away.

At the door they said goodbye to Robert, his wife was across the room, on her phone.

"Thank you for a lovely evening Robert."

"Not at all," he took Andy's hand and kissed the inside of her wrist, his thumb then rubbed the spot where his lips had touched. "It was a pleasure."

"Yeah, thanks, great night. Nice photos." Sam pushed Andy forward, out of Roberts Reach, shook his hand briskly then left the room. He took her hand as they descended the stairs, held onto it as he collected his coast and soon they found themselves standing on the street holding hands.

Sam started to walk down the street, away from the taxi rank where the rest of the party guests were getting into cars. When there was enough distance between them and the venue, he pinched the mic that was in his shirt and lifted it out.

"Get all that?"

"Sure thing." The ear bud in his ear crackled with Janie's voice.

"Okay, I'll leave the equipment back at Andy's. Signing off."

"Copy that."

Sam unplugged the mic pack and slipped it into his coat. He left the wire, but pulled the ear bud out and put that away too. He gestured for Andy to do the same, holding the pocket of his coat open she put in her mic pack and ear bud.

"Peace." He shook his coat then draped it back over his arm and without thinking he offered his hand for her to take. She smiled and took it.

"So… you think there is anything there?"

"Nothing but a vacuous hole."

"Sam! Harsh."

"Not quite near enough. The people at that party were more interested in how they looked and how they sounded. Too interested in dropping names and events."

"What about Olivia?"

"The wife?" Sam let out a breath through his lips. "I dunno, she barely seemed interested. I'm betting she is cheating on the husband."

"Yeah well you don't need to be a cop to figure that one out." She nudged him and he looked down at her and smiled.

"You're beautiful."

His words came out without volition and Sam frowned as they passed his lips. Her smile was frozen on her lips. They had kept walking but slowed and eventually stopped. The panic Sam felt at the words faded and he slowly smiled. He turned to face her, took on of her hands and lifted it up to his neck, then ran his hand along her arm, down her back an rested it on her hip. He took her other hand and held it against his chest.

Then he swayed.

Music flittered down the street from a bar, it was fast, rock 'n' roll, but they swayed slowly, her hips drifting ever closer. He bent his head, rested it on her forehead. His breath was hot on her face; she struggled to breathe and lifted her head putting their lips inches apart.

"Andy…" Sam's voice was low, barely a whisper, she wasn't sure if he had spoken. Neither was he.

His lips movies at glacial speed towards hers, which was way too slow for Andy. She gripped his neck and pulled him down, crushing her lips to his. His hands gripped her hips, pulled her against him as he opened his mouth and pressed his tongue to hers. Her mouth was hot, her lips were soft and her hands were roaming. Sam couldn't breathe and he loved it.

But this wasn't the place. He took her shoulders and pushed her away. They stood, only inches apart, each of them struggling to catch their breath.

"We should…"Sam began but he couldn't seem to formulate a real sentence.

"Yeah." Andy stepped back and his arms dropped to his sides. "We should…"

"Go back to yours." Andy quirked an eyebrow. "So we can get rid of this equipment."

"Of course."

"What else!"

He laughed, pulled her into a hug and walked to the curb to hail a cab. They sat in the back for the short journey. He held her hand in between his, ran his fingers between hers, rubbed her wrist and caressed her arm, all the while watching her. She blushed, looked away, looked back and smiled.

Sam threw a few bills at the driver and all but yanked her out of the back seat. He couldn't get her up to her flat quick enough. When she struggled with the keys he nudged her aside with his hip and opened the door himself. He stepped in, turned around and pulled her in after him, snatched her against him and slammed the door behind them.

He kissed her roughly, letting his coat and her shawl fall to the floor. He continued to walk backwards and pulled her with him. She stumbled to keep up so he stopped, bend a little, let her wrap her arms around his neck, lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her dress was like satin under his fingers but he needed to get under it. His hands pushed it up her thighs and gripped her ass, pulling her even closer.

Her hands were in his hair, scratching his scalp, making tingles shoot down his back. He stumbled backwards, blindly, and hoped that whatever furniture she had would either be cheap enough to replace, or robust enough to take his weight.

With both their eyes closed and Sam stumbling, turning, working his way across the room, he had no idea what it was that had hit him, and only realised after the fact when he fell to the ground.

Andy screamed as she fell with him, looked up at the masked stranger who was scrambling over to her. Sam had half fallen on her, impeding her escape. She instinctively reached for her gun, her baton anything not realising until it was so late that she wasn't even wearing it. The stranger straddled her chest, trapping her arms beneath his legs and pressed a cloth to her face. Andy tried not to breath, knowing that cloying smell that stung her lungs was chloroform.

Sam lay face down on the floor, his eyes couldn't focus, his body was limp and powerless. He could feel his legs entwined with Andy and he watched as the assailant straddled her.

"No…" the words seemed thunderous to him, his head pounded and the light faded.

The room swam and his vision faded in and out. Finally succumbing to the darkness the last thing Sam saw was Andy being lifted and carried out of the room.

* * *

**A/N**: ...see what I did there? :D


	10. Chapter 10

Sam came to slowly and regretted it immediately. His head pounded with every movement so he tried to hold still but the ground shook and rattled beneath him. He tried to brace himself with his hands and only then realised they were tied behind his back. He pulled and twisted them, hoping to yank them free. But he could feel the thick plastic cable tie and knew it was a losing battle.

He tried to pull his eyes open but his lids were heavy, it took a few more attempts before he could finally hold them up and it was then he saw he was in the boot of a car. His body was twisted, his legs bent beneath him, his head, pressed up against the side wall, banging against the metal wheel well, each jostle sending shots of pain to his toes.

He drifted in and out of consciousness, the car all the while shaking him into painful oblivion. He tried to keep track of where they were going, when they went over a bridge or the tram lines but he could barely formulate a thought, let alone recall blind directions. When the rough flooring under his cheek became too much he braced himself with one shoulder and with a heave twisted his body around, coming into contact with Andy's lifeless form.

"Jesus…Andy?" He cursed himself, as he realised she had been there all along. His knees faced the latch of the boot, he was half lying on his back and his head was strained to face her. His shoulder ached and a sharp pain crossed his torso but he had to try to revive her. "Andy… wake up…Andy!"

He tried to nudge her with his head but he couldn't reach. He turned on his side, his back to her and shimmied closer to her to see if he could reach her with his hands. He found her arm and tugged on it, turned his head back towards her to see if she moved.

"Andy!" His voice got louder as his fear rose.

But before he could do anything else the car slowed, then stopped. He heard both of the doors open and footsteps on loose gravel come around to the back of the car. Sam tried to position his body so he was blocking Andy from whomever was about to open the boot.

It opened and the car shook. Sam tried his legs to kick out but after being bent beneath him for so long they were heavy and immovable like iron rods.

"Hey, he's awake!" one of them exclaimed and they boot slammed shut. "You said he would sleep for hours."

"We used most of it on her; there wasn't enough for him too."

"Jesus, what are we going to do?"

"Just throw that blanket from the back seat over him. We need to get her out of the car."

"Hang on…" Sam heard the footsteps, the car door opened, slammed shut then more steps coming to the back of the car. This time with more preparation he used the pain in his head to help him focus. But this time when the boot opened they were ready for him. The blanket came over him and he was surrounded by darkness again. He writhed and kicked as best her could. They wrapped him up in the blanket and pulled him out, then threw him to the ground.

He tried to roll away but they followed him and kicked him in the chest. He hunched over, and made himself into as small a target as possible. He felt several kicks to his back and his chest but when one connected with his chin all he felt was unconsciousness.

Andy opened her eyes. She was lying on something hard and rough and her arm was bent beneath her at an unnatural angle. She tried to roll over but her body would not comply. From a distance she could hear shouts and a scuffle. Her energy was sapped and she wouldn't focus enough to gather herself to see what was going on. She lay helpless on the floor of the boot.

The silence scared her. She could hear muffled voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying. As they approached the car she braced herself. Her limbs were heavy and useless from being cramped up in the boot for too long.

"Ah, she's awake too. Perfect."

Two hands reached in for her, grabbed her by her upper arms and dragged her from the boot. She was dropped unceremoniously onto the gravel while they closed the boot and locked the car. While lying there, her arms tied behind her back, a cold panic started to settle in the pit of her stomach. Then she spotted Sam. He was wrapped in a coarse blanket but his head was protruding from the top. A line of blood trailed out of the side of his mouth and down his face.

"Sam…" Her voice was hoarse and she couldn't put any power behind it.

The two men came back to her and stood either side of her.

"Take her in," one of them said then he walked ahead towards the cabin. The other man crouched down. Andy was lying in the foetal position on the gravel, small stones pressing into her face, cutting her arms and legs, but her eyes were fixed on Sam, hoping against hope that she would see some movement, some sign of life, before they took her.

"Hey girly," the man said. He reached a hand across her face, brushing the stray strands out of her eyes. Andy clenched her teeth, and just stared at Sam. "Let's get you inside, where it's warm." He hooked one arm under her knees and the other around her shoulders then lifted her against him. Andy tried to wriggle away but he was too strong. His fingers dug into her arm and leg where he held her and he pressed her against her body. "Steady on… save your energy."

"Sam!" she tried to call out but it barely made it past her lips. The cabin got closer, and Sam got further away. The pit of panic in her stomach exploded and she gave all her energy to fighting the guy who was holding her.

"I think we need another dose for this one!" he said laughing as she was hardly making any impact.

He kicked the door open and dropped her onto a threadbare couch. She rolled off and tried to scuffle away but he came up behind her and straddled her, putting all his weight onto her lower back where her hands were tied. Andy screamed with the agony of pain shooting up to her shoulder.

She felt a hand pressing down between her shoulder blades, pushing her into the floor then a cloth was pushed into her face. She struggled against his hand but it was no use as the darkness overcame her.

The Black Penny was unusually quiet. Oliver walked slowly through the room with Dov and Chris directly behind him. Without a word they walked up to the bar and each took a stool. Oliver motioned to the bartender for a round and as if they had rehearsed, they put their elbows on the bar and covered their faces with their hands. They sat like that until they got their drinks then picked them up in unison and took long sips.

"It's so quiet in here." Chris spoke up. He looked around the room. Two cops held up the other end of the bar and another two huddled around a pitcher on the corner table. "With Andy undercover and Officer Swarek on assignment."

"When a big case lands on the division, and it takes this long to work through, you'd think that the Penny would be over worked everytime there is a shift change." Oliver put his glass down and twirled it round on the bar. "But in fact it has the opposite effect. Cops go home. Spend time with their families and appreciate what they have more."

"And when the case is closed?" Dov asked.

"Some of them aren't closed." Oliver took another sip. "Then slowly it peters back to normal routine." The mood was sombre. Oliver's shoulders were slumped and Dov and Chris exchanged glances. "Three bodies now we've found and still we are no closer to getting to a solution…I keep telling myself it's not my job to worry about it… I'm a grunt, I'm digging up dirt to hand to the D;s so they can sift through it."

"Sir-"

"This is the reason that I never went for the detective exams. Why I never applied for anything more than training officer."

"This case is rare…a serial killer in Toronto… there hasn't been one…"

"Not rare enough." Oliver knocked back the rest of his beer then stood away from the bar. He patted them both on the back as he walked by, and stopped only to pull his phone from his pocket. "Yeah, hello." He walked through the door and it swung shut behind him. "What?"

Dov and Chris looked up at the angry exclamation that came from the street. They jumped up and ran out to where he was standing, still talking on the phone, pacing on the street, the phone pressed to one ear, a hand over the other. "Okay, we'll come right back to the division." He looked up. The expression on his face had changed from the cold sombre lilt to a wild angry one. "We need to get back. Andy and Sam never checked in. It's been 4 hours."

"What's their check in schedule?" Chris asked even as he hurried to his car and climbed in, Oliver beside him and Dov in the back.

"Hourly."

* * *

**A/N:** So incredibly sorry for the delayed update. Hectic work and a trip to the hospital but a kibosh on any writing plans I had. Hoping to get more up over the weekend. This is only a small chapter, mind you compared to the last one they are all small, but you guys deserved something seeing as ye are all so good with reviews. Thanks!


	11. Chapter 11

"Wake up…" Sam felt a sharp pain across this face that tugged him out of the darkness. "C'mon buddy…time to wake up."

Another slap across the face roused him enough to open his eyes but only one would flutter open fully. His left eye was swollen shut and as his right eye focused he saw a man crouching beside his head. Sam lay still, moved his feet a little and twitched his fingers to assess how much pain he was in and if he could fight but it was no use, he could barely move. His eye travelled past this man, searching for Andy and he wasn't sure if he was relieved or terrified that he couldn't see her.

"Okay, good, I didn't want to have to carry you in."

The stranger took Sam's arm and hooked it around his neck. Sharp unbearable pain shot across Sam's chest and he cried out in pain as he pulled him up to his feet and half dragged half carried him into the cabin. Sam's feet struggled for purchase on the ground and they trailed behind them. The cabin was small and seemed to be only 2 rooms, one large enough for a couch in front of a fireplace with a dining / kitchen area behind it where the other man was cooking something in a large pot. Sam guessed the door at the back of the room was a bedroom. He looked around for Andy but she wasn't here.

The décor was rustic, and Sam guessed this was a rarely used hunting lodge. There was a collection of old rifles on the wall, some photos of men standing over kills and some just standing around drinking. There was some fishing equipment by the door and everything had an overused never cleaned look about it. The stranger dropped Sam onto the couch with a grunt then stepped back and looked down at Sam's crumpled body.

"You don't look so good."

Sam's right arm was draped over his torso, as he gently held the ribs he knew were broken.

"What do you want?"

"Get this Marty… he's willing to negotiate?"

"What do you want?" Sam repeated.

"Want?" the stranger came closer and leaned down to put his face next to Sam's. "Nothing from you." He nodded his head towards the bedroom door. "But from her?"

"Leave her alone."

The men both laughed. "Or what exactly? You'll frown? Shake your fist… can you even do that?"

"Don't fucking touch her."

"Oh god, enough with the dramatics, we get it, you love her, you hate us, you want us to die and if we touch a hair on her head you will make sure it happens. Did I get everything?"

Sam struggled to keep focused. His ribs, his shoulder, his face. His whole body was humming with pain.

"Who are you?"

"Enough." Marty, the man that was cooking in the kitchen came over and patted his friend on the back, then gently pushed him away from Sam. "C'mon, get him in. We gotta go get ready."

He pulled a pair of cuffs out from his back pocket and slapped it over one of Sam's wrists, then pulled his other hand closer to connect them. Sam tried not to scream out in pain as his shoulder flexed. Marty tugged on his cuffs to get him to stand and this time the white hot flashes from his shoulder and ribs were too much and he yelled out.

One of the men pulled on a rug that was in the middle of the kitchen revealing a trap door beneath. He slid the latch open and yanked the trapdoor up. It was Marty who tugged Sam over towards it where he could see a wooden stairway but little else.

"Well are you gonna walk in or get pushed?"

Sam hobbled closer to the edge of the trap door but before he could even contemplate how he would manage those stairs a heavy hand on his back pushed him in. He held his arms up around his head and pulled his knees up to his chest as he fell, protected his body as much as possible.

The fall seemed to last forever until finally he fell onto a hard concrete surface then the trap door slammed shut behind him, and plunged the room into darkness. Sam didn't know how long he lay there for. He drifted in and out of consciousness and his body grew even stiffer until finally he could hold his eyes open long enough to let a single thought form.

Roll over.

He gritted his teeth, braced his head on the ground and with a yell forced his body to roll from lying on his chest to his back. The pain in his shoulder pulsated and every breath he took shot pain around his chest. He let his eyes adjust to the darkness. There were three small windows high on the wall behind him and with the moonlight he could see the rest of the room.

It was empty.

Sam tried to sit up but his ribs refused to comply. The harsh copper taste of blood was in his mouth so he turned his head to the side and spat it out. It was then he noticed the other door. She had to be in there, he thought. Hoped.

With purpose now and the need to see her more than ever, Sam rolled onto his side and pushed himself onto all fours. He braced himself against the wall, and slowly stood up, leaning heavily against it. He dragged himself against it to the door and reached for the handle. He paused only a second, hoping against hope that it would be open, terrified that it would be locked. It was open. The other room was dark but also had three small windows and with the moonlight they offered he could see her.

As quick as his battered body would allow Sam rushed over to her. She was lying in a heap beneath the windows and when he rolled her over he was reassured to see no marks or bruising on her face. He checked her pulse, it was slow and steady. He gently slapped her cheeks with the back of his hand.

She was still wearing the dress and though he tried not to think about it he was grateful to see if was still intact.

"Andy…Andy, wake up." He brushed her hair away from her face. "C'mon McNally…wake up for me."

Footsteps came thundering down the stairs in the other room. Sam reached down and clasped her hand in his and turned to see both of their assailants coming through the door.

"Don't get too comfy." One of them grabbed the cuffs Sam was wearing and dragged him across the room. Sam screamed in pain, finding the energy to kick out. He swung his legs around, connecting with the man's ankles knocking him to the floor. Sam used the surprise to bring his two clenched fists down on the side of his head. But before he could continue the assault Marty came over and kicked Sam.

His foot connected with Sam's chest as he had his arms held up high to bring down in another fierce punch. Sam flew back, cradling his already broken torso. His hands were grabbed and he was dragged over to the wall where his cuffs were locked to a metal ring that was sticking out high on the wall. Sam didn't have the energy to hold himself up so he hung limply, the metal cuffs cut into his wrists.

"Jesus Christ…" The man he assaulted started to get up, rubbed the back of his head where it connected with the floor and rotated his jaw where Sam's fists had connected.

"Grab her, They are going to be here soon."

"No, no I'm ok, don't worry about me!"

"Shut the fuck up and grab her. We don't have time for this."

"Well there is always time for this…" he walked over to Sam and crouched down to be at his level. Sam's head was hung low, his chin resting on his chest. He grabbed a fist full of Sam's hair and lifted his head. Sam's eyes drooped over but he managed to crack a smile at the red mark where he had connected.

"That's gotta smart," Sam said, spitting blood down his chin as he spoke.

"Yeah…a little…" he reached up and gingerly touched his jaw. He looked over his shoulder where Marty was standing with Andy slung over his shoulder, fireman style. "But I guess I'll have to work out my anger some other way."

Sam clenched his fists and pulled on the cuffs but it was no use. He had to watch as they left the room with Andy.

Oliver and Dov stood at the door to Andy's UC apartment an watched as the CSI team worked the room. The windows and door handles had all been dusted for prints, leaving tell tale black powder residue over everything. One of the officers circled the room taking photos, documenting everything in a thick handbook.

"No sign of forced entry, no blood." Dov spoke aloud but Oliver knew it wasn't for his benefit.

"This is a crappy neighbourhood. The door wouldn't keep out a stiff breeze." Oliver ran his hand down the frame, feeling for any crowbar marks but there were none. Sam's coat an Andy's shawl were still on the floor behind the door where they had dropped them. "Their mic packs are here."

"And their phones."

"Detective Holte has brought in the photographer."

"Chris and Gail are going through CCTV footage on the street to see if anything comes up."

Oliver dry washed his face as he stepped through the apartment. "There is nothing here. There is nowhere to go."

Before Dov could speak his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and stepped out into the hallway to take the call. "Chris…have you got something?"

"Yeah, car parked on the street, two male drivers, each of them entered the building about 10 mins before Swarek and McNally got out of a cab. Then they put something into their trunk and left, about 15 mins after that."

"License plate?"

"BLHK136…blue ford…registered to Tom Yorkson, lives on 345 Billings Ave near Greenwood park."

"We're on the way."

"I've already called for your backup."

"Thanks Chris."

Dov turned to call Oliver but he had already heard enough of the call and was ready to race out. Dov nodded and followed.

* * *

**A/N**: I'm already working on the next chapter, so hopefully it wont be as long for the next update.


	12. Chapter 12

Sam let his head fall onto his shoulder and spat out the blood that was filling his mouth. Breathing hurt from his broken ribs, he didn't need an x-ray to confirm that, and despite the disturbing amount of blood that was spilling past his lips, it was the unmoving form of Andy lying on the floor across the room that really worried him.

Her hands were bound with cable ties, her wrists stained with dried blood he figured it was from her attempts to wriggle free when she was awake. She was wearing only a white tee and a pair of briefs. Sam let his eye close over and took a few ragged breaths. He coughed from the effort, spitting out more blood.

"Andy…" he called out, though he didn't expect a response. "Hey…McNally!" She didn't stir. He could see she was breathing from the slow rise and fall of her chest, but it brought him little comfort. "McNally…get up! GET UP!"

Sam coughed and spluttered, white hot pain irradiated from his torso and his right shoulder but before he could compose himself enough to try again, he could hear footsteps racing towards their cell.

For a split second he was torn between hope and fear but this dilemma was quickly resolved when the door was flung open and their captor stepped in. Fear ripped through him, followed by anger, at a level he had only ever felt once before in his life.

Their captor looked at Andy then over to Sam. He smiled at the futility of Sam's anger, his hands were balled into fists and he was straining against his cuffs but they weren't budging.

"Enjoying your stay?" He walked over to where Andy was and crouched down next to her.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" Sam spat out blood with each word.

He reached down and moved Andy's hair out of her face with the barrel of a gun. Sam winced, tried to contain his rage and rattled his cuffs again, taking the attention off Andy and back to himself.

"Leave her alone…" the words were followed by more coughing, more blood and more pain and Sam went limp. The room swam and his vision faded in and out. Finally succumbing to the darkness the last thing Sam saw was Andy being lifted and carried out of the room.

* * *

Oliver leaned against the back of the mirror window in the interrogation room. His forehead pressed on the glass as he watched Tom Yorkson squirm in the chair on the other side. Detective Barber entered, an Oliver stood up straight to watch the interview.

"Your car was used in an abduction of two police officers."

"I don't know anything about it."

Jerry took a photo out of the manila folder and slid up across the table. It was a grainy still from CCTV footage of two men putting large bundles into the trunk of a car.

"They guys you jumped in with on this… are not the smartest."

"That car was stolen."

"You never reported that."

"It was a clunker, what is the point."

"No insurance?" Tom looked around the room avoiding the photo and Jerry's eyes. "We have footage, we just need ID's."

Jerry's voice softened and Oliver recognised the technique. He was going to offer Tom an out, make it seem like he was helping himself while giving up the IDs of the two assailants.

"I told you…the car was stolen."

"Possibly the keys were stolen, from your apartment?" Tom didn't answer. "I noticed you had a sofa bed pulled out, sheets and pillows piled up in the corner. Who was staying with you?"

"Eh…um a friend. Had trouble with his old lady."

"And where is he tonight?"

"I guess they made up." Tom shrugged.

"Tom you are running out of time and I'm running out of patience. 2 officers are missing. If you don't help us here you are going to be up for obstruction, that's 5 years, and if we find out that you gave them the keys to your car that's accomplice to murder that's another 11 years…"

"It was stolen." Tom's voice was wavering and Jerry knew he had him.

"By who?"

Oliver watched, his breath stuck in his throat, his hand on his radio ready to call the name out to Dov who was sitting out in the bullpen working on the PC through Tom Yorkson's.

"Martin Harrison…and Neil Jordan." Tom's voice was low but it was enough for Oliver to hear and call out to Dov.

"Where did they take them?" Jerry asked fighting the urge to run out of the room and start scouring the streets for them.

"I dunno man, I swear." Tom was broken, his leg was twitching with tension, his hands interlocked on the table and a film of sweat covered his body.

"Tom…where are they?"

"I dunno, they stayed with me for a few days and yesterday they asked if they could take my car."

"To do what with?"

"They said they were going hunting."

"How do you know these men?"

"I don't know them…they are friends of…a friend of mine."

"Goddammit Tom!" Jerry smashed his hands down on the table and stood to lean in closer to Jerry who jumped at the sudden movement. "This isn't a game where you can tell me one piece of info and then nothing else. I need to know everything that is in that tiny brain of yours, and I need to know it now."

"Okay, okay! I never met them until a few days ago. Then I got a call from Tony Doyle."

"The bookie?"

"Yeah."

"How much are you in for?"

Tom fidgeted some more then spoke softly. "Fifteen grand."

"Whoa… that's a lot of horses."

"Basketball. College Basketball."

"Oh…" Jerry opened the file had had and flicked through a few pages. "I see you work at U of T. So you have an insider track? Give him a heads up on practice sessions and injuries?"

"Yeah something like that."

"So Tony gave you enough rope and you looped it around your neck."

"Yeah."

"And then he called you…" Jerry waited for him to continue.

"Yeah, he called me and asked me to take in these two guys for a few days. He said I should help them out if they ask, and if I do then my slate is clean."

"Roof and a bed for 2 guys all for a cool €15G."

"That's what he said."

"And these guys asked for your car?"

"They said they needed it, they were going hunting."

"Hunting? Where? Did they have a cabin? A regular place they would rent?"

"I dunno!" Tom shouted. "I told you! I only met them a couple of days ago."

Jerry stared at him for a minute. Then without another word he left the interview room and Oliver hurried out to meet him in the hallway.

"You get those names?"

"Yeah already have Dov working on it," Oliver said as they walked through the hallway and into the bullpen where Dov was working.

"Martin Harrison has a rap sheet as long as my arm." Dov passed them a file over his shoulder as he continued to work on the PC.

"Assault, four counts of robbery, two for assault, then tops it off with rape and attempted murder." Oliver read out from the file.

"Why was he on the street?" Jerry took the file. "Out on bail pending trial."

"What a system."

"Neil Jordan is worse… in and out of juvy since he was 14, spent 3 years in Sudbury for aggravated assault, turned state's evidence for another trial and got out early."

"Anything in there about these guys owning or renting hunting cabin?"

"Or Tony Doyle."

"Tony Doyle?" Dov glanced over his shoulder then back to the screen. "He has a long list of properties."

"What?"

"He uses them to manipulate funds. Buys property, rents it out, sells it, money is laundered." Dov said as he pulled up the file he needed. "I was working on this with Chris last week for Detective Holte."

"Holte? Isn't he the one working with Andy on the UC case?"

"Yeah, but I dunno if these are related."

"We need to get Holte out here." Jerry pulled his phone from his pocket and started to dial.

"Pull up that list of properties. They can't all be cabins."

Oliver sat in next to Dov and they started to go through the arduous process of elimination.

* * *

Marty held the trap door open and dropped it when Neil carried Andy through. He tossed the rug over the door and watched as Neil gently laid her down on the couch. Neil draped a blanket over her then stepped back.

"You think this one will do?"

"She better, the last three were duds."

"But we were on a streak before that. Five for five."

"Whatever, we still get paid."

Neil went over to the fridge and took out a beer, tossed it across the kitchen to where Marty was leaning against the counter then took one out for himself. "What time are they getting here?" He checked his watch and saw it was half nine.

"They should have been here at nine."

"What do they want us to do with him?" Neil nodded his head towards the trap door where Sam was locked.

Marty shrugged as he took a long sip of his beer. "They never asked for a man before. Only ever women."

* * *

**A/N:** Just a short chapter, all starting to take shape (finally!)


	13. Chapter 13

Detective Kevin Holte came in the front door of Division 15 and made his way directly to the coffee station. He looked around as he poured himself a drink and put a large cookie into his mouth. He held it between his teeth then turned to walk over to Gerry's desk.

Oliver Shaw was leaning against his desk, arms folded across his chest, and watched his progression across the room without disguising his anger.

"Hey…Oliver." Dov was sitting at the desk, still typing on the computer but couldn't help but notice the stare from Oliver to Holte. "Oliver…what are you doing?"

"He knows something."

"You don't know that."

"no, but Gerry does."

"And if that's true, Detective Barbar will get it out of him. C'mere, look at this."

Dov was tapping the screen in front of him, and leaned in closer, his head resting in the palm of his hand.

"What?" Oliver didn't move, kept his eyes on Holte as he sat on the corner of Gerry's desk and smiled.

"Look, I have four locations here…" Dov noticed Oliver wasn't watching and nudged him in the ribs. "Two of them are over a day and a half's drive away, Another is in a gated community off Highway 11 at Grenfell Lake but the last is a secluded place outside a small town called Hawksbury."

"That's about 6 hours away and how are the bodies getting from there to Lake Ontario?!"

"Look, these are all properties belonging to Tony Doyle, 2 of them are too far away, one of them is too public, but this one, this one in Leroy bay is secluded, privately owned, looks out onto a bay what is connected to the lake."

"Well the body would need to be swimming up-stream to make it into lake Ontario!"

"People, who live on a lake or river, tend to have boats. Dumping a body at the lake is a good way to dispose of it; it could have come from Ontario, Montreal or even New York!"

This caught Oliver's attention. He turned his focus away from the conversation he couldn't hear at Gerry's desk and instead studied the map Dov had pulled u onto his screen.

"See here? This is a small community, outside it there are several cabins, surrounded by rural land and facing this river that feeds into Lake Ontario. If they have a boat, which no doubt they do, then it would be easy for them to dump the body ."

"What info do you have on that cabin?"

"Tony Doyle bought it about 9 years ago, but unlike most of the properties that he turns over he kept this one. I have on citation for hunting outside of season but nothing else. He paid for it in three instalments over 5 years and now owns it outright. It was involved in a surveillance operation back in 05 but that all came to nothing…and that's it."

"This has got to be the place."

Dov looked up at Oliver who was studying the screen. "I'll print this out, you go tell Barbar."

* * *

Gerry noticed Holte crossing the room towards him but waited until he perched himself on the corner of his desk before turning to face him. He turned in his chair and watched for a second while Kevin bit his cookie and slurped his tea.

"Did you find anything yet?" Kevin asked.

"Bits. How did it go with the photographer?"

"He's clean."

"No human trafficking?" Gerry Quirked an eyebrow.

Kevin brushed some crumbs off his lap and placed his cup on the desk.

"He's clean," he repeated. "We tracked phone calls and in all the time we've been watching him there has been no connection to Tony Doyle."

"Sounds like the kind of investigation that would negate a UC operation."

"Gerry if you have a problem, just spit it out."

"Yeah, I have a problem." Gerry sat forward in his chair, rested his elbows on his knees an interlocked his fingers together. "I have a problem with a half researched UC mission that was stagnant and put 2 of my officers in danger."

"2 of your officers?! That UC operation-"

"That US operation was a joke! You had nothing then, you have nothing now." Gerry stood up. "I have a guy pointing fingers at Tony Doyle."

"Doyle? I was working-"

"I know." Gerry circled his desk, staying close to Kevin the whole time. "What can you tell me about that investigation?"

"He has properties that line the border with New York, Michigan and Montreal. We were investigating him on charges of human trafficking."

"And let me guess…the focus moved from Tony Doyle to Robert Carson?"

"Yeah."

"Jesus Christ Kevin!" Gerry slammed his hand on the table then brought them both up to his face.

"Detective?" Gerry turned to see Oliver standing by his desk. "We have something."

"What have you got?"

"A cabin in Hawksbury. It's about 6 plus hours drive from here, on a river that feeds into lake Ontario."

"I know that Cabin." Kevin spoke up. "We did surveillance out there about 6 years ago."

"Seven." Oliver corrected without disguising the venom in his voice.

Dov came rushing over with a bundle of sheets and proffered them to Gerry.

"Call SWAT, we'll need a couple of choppers."

* * *

Sam let his head loll to the side as he tried to take a few breaths that didn't rattle his bones and cause shooting pain to coarse through his body. The room was brighter, stronger light coming in through the three small windows. He scanned the shadows in the room looking for her but it was empty.

He looked up to where his wrists were bound and chained to the wall and tugged but one arm was numb and the other tingling with constant pain. He panted then took as deep a breath as his bruised torso would allow and held it. He gripped the chains that holding his arms up and turned to face the wall, then turned again coming 360 degrees around, his knees scraping, bleeding on the gritty concrete floor.

Sam released his breath and his body slackened. Then he tried again, and again, turning, gripping the chain an forcing it to wind tightly against his wrists, cutting off what little blood circulation he had, but also turning the fish eye metal hook that held him to the wall. Dust crumbled as the hook loosened then it fell out of the wall and onto the floor. Sam yelled out in pain as his body dropped, his arms ached, throbbed as the blood rushed back to them. He lowered his arms an undid the chain wrap then tried to drown out the sound of his ragged breath to listen to the noises upstairs.

There were voices, steps and what sounded like furniture being moved. The steps walked across the room, pacing motion, the voices were loud but he couldn't make out words. Sam came his knees, looked down at the chains on his wrist and realised he wasn't going to be able to free himself so he wrapped the chain up again and gripped it tightly.

His shoulder was numb, and jutted out at an awkward angle. Sam stood. He pressed his back to the wall, then took another breath, stood away turned to face it then rammed his shoulder against it. His scream seemed to stop all the footsteps overhead. As fast as he could he hurried to the door and stood behind it. Someone was rushing down the stairs. Sam held the chain up over his head then waited.

The door opened and without waiting to see who it was, Sam swung with all his might. The chain came around in a wide arc and hit Marty on the back of his head.

Marty fell without a scream. Sam wrapped the chain up and limped out of the room. At the bottom of the stairs he waited for a moment and listened.

"Should we go down there?"

"No, let's just grab the body and get into the boat."

"Here, help me!"

The footsteps ran away from the hatch above him so Sam climbed the stairs as fast as he could. He busted through the trap door, ignoring the pain. The carpet folded over and he spilled onto the floor in time to see two men leaving through the front door, one of them had Andy slung over his shoulder.

"Andy!" He called out. Sam struggled to stand, and his body seemed to lose all power as his energy levels plummeted. But the sight of her lifeless was enough to spur him on. He got to his knees, leaned against the press, as he got to his feet. He used gravity and momentum to keep walking forward. When he came through the door he spotted the two men getting into a boat, someone was driving and Andy was lying across the back.

"Andy!" he called out again. He ran as fast as he could, racing to get to the boat before it took off. He got to the water, mere feet away from where they were still pushing it deeper to get it started. He swung the chain, clattering it against the hull. The boot rocked, one of the men pulled himself in and leaned over to help the other man in.

Sam was waist deep now, the motor on the boat was starting to turn and it was starting to pull away from him, creating a wake that was making him lose his balance.

A light overhead shone down, then another. A helicopter. Sam braced himself for the inevitable gun shots but swung the chain around again and hit the boat just before it was out of reach.

"POLICE!" Sam ducked, hitting the water as his feet lost balance with the shock of the sound booming from overhead.

"POLICE! Stop the boat!"

The boat pulled away leaving Sam tossed in the water trying to resurface. But it didn't stop. Gerry who was sitting next to the driver with the speaker to his lips turned to the SWAT members sitting in the back and gave the signal to shoot.

* * *

**A/N**: Bit of a hiatus there... sorry bout that. Hopefully I'll finish this by the weekend. :) Thanks for sticking with it!


	14. Chapter 14

Gunfire rained down on the boat and everyone on it ducked. Sam who broke the surface screamed for the gunfire to stop. He waved his hands above his head trying to get the attention of the two choppers that were now following the boat as it sped off, leaving Sam behind in the wake, fear washing over him and freezing his blood more than the frigid water.

Andy felt her head throbbing before she could figure out why the ground was moving. There were screams, shouts and something else. An Engine? It certainly felt like she was lying on a jet engine, the sound was deafening and the vibrations sent pain shocks all over her body. As she came to slowly she could make out two men lying on the floor below her. Another person, she thought it was a woman but she couldn't focus enough to see was standing at the front and it was then Andy realised she was on a boat. Her hands were still chained together and as she tried to cinch her way to a more comfortable position she noticed there was a rope looped around her waist and tied to a metal hook.

The two men on the floor were cowering against the sides of the boat, their heads wrapped around their heads as they tried to make themselves as small targets as they could. A bright light shone on the boat from above and gun fire shot warning shots, hitting the water on both sides.

"Freeze. Stop the boat. We will be forced to shoot you if you continue!" Andy looked up and saw two choppers. Both had spot lights on the boat and were following the trail easily.

Gerry held his head set closer to his ears and moved the mic closer to his mouth. "Can you see her? That's her on the Stern! Do not under any circumstances shoot that boat."

"Sir, they are about to go through the Voyager Provincial Park and Pass that they will be in Quebec and we won't be able to follow them."

"They know that. We have to stop them before that happens or they will kill her and dump her overboard."

"Sir we can't fire with complete accuracy on a speeding boat, at night!"

"Stop them!"

* * *

Sam raced back to shore and scanned it for another boat but there was nothing. He knew he wouldn't catch up with them even if he found a boat but when he spied the car in the drive he thought he might have a chance. He ran over and couldn't believe his luck to find the keys in the ignition. Without pausing to think that it might not matter, Sam gunned the engine and raced along the river front road.

* * *

Andy squirmed and moved her hands down along her body so they were near the metal hook where her rope was tied. She pulled on it but it was tight, tighter than she thought she could loosen. She looked around for something she might use but nothing was within reach, not without drawing the attention of her captors. She tried to twist her hands to get a better grip and winced as the metal links on her chain cut into her wrists. As fresh blood trickled down her arm she used the frayed metal links to start cutting the rope.

* * *

Gerry called for the first chopper to go in front of the boat, fly low and kick up water, blocking their sight and trying to force them to change direction. The boat zigged and zagged but continued on its course.

"Stay in front!" Gerry yelled! "Shoot the front! Officer McNally is tied at the back."

* * *

Neil slowly sat up from his crouched position and Andy stilled. He crawled on hands and knees to the other side of the boat to talk to Marty but when he shook his friend's shoulders Marty fell forward. Blood pooled beneath him from three gunshot wounds in his back.

"Jesus…" Neil backed away and went to crouch by the driver. Andy continued to scrape the rope with the chain. "He's dead!" he said to the driver who turned to look.

It was then that Andy realised it was Olivia who was driving the boat. The shock made her stop what she was doing and she stared, only for Olivia to look right at her.

"She's awake. I thought you said she'd be out for the night."

"She should be…" Neil turned to look at Andy who was watching them both now."

"Kill her."

"No!" Neil shouted. "She's the only thing that's stopping them from blowing us out of the water right now."

"We're almost in Quebec."

"Well I'll kill her then."

* * *

The lights in the car Sam was driving seemed to only penetrate a few feet of the utter darkness on the road. Dust kicked up behind him from the speed and more than once he had veered too close to the edge making his heart skip a beat. He fastened his grip on the steering wheel and pulled out of a turn with extra speed. Up ahead he could see the choppers in the sky and was pleased to see they were slowing the boat down. As he entered the park he noticed the road was going to veer away from the river so without giving pause for thought he followed a grassy trail to the left and kept the boat and choppers in sight.

* * *

Andy decided she had nothing to lose. She tightened her grip on the chains and scrapped if faster and harder on the now frayed rope. The boat as turning sharp, left and right, avoiding the chopper in front and when the chopped opened fire Olivia turned it 180, putting Andy in the firing line.

* * *

Sam came up to a park house for rangers, that was on the shore front. He pulled up and raced to the dock where he hoped their speed boat would be parked. Sam could have laughed when he saw two of them sitting there in the darkness. He jumped into one, searched for the keys, nothing. He jumped out, got into the other one and this time struck gold. The keys were in the ignition; he untied it from the dock, gunned the ending and pulled away. Behind him, from the park house a Ranger can running out, half dressed with a mug of tea in his hand. He was shouting something at Sam but he couldn't hear. Sam waved hoping the ranger would understand the wave to mean "Sorry for taking your boat, I'm with Toronto Police, I promise I'm only borrowing it and I'll bring it back!"

* * *

Even as Andy cowered from the hail of bullets she furiously rubbed the rope until finally it snapped. She gripped the boat and tried to manoeuvre into a safer position but Neil was clamouring over to her. Andy Swivelled and planted both of her feet into his chest, pushing him away from her. She almost fell into the water with the force of the push. Neil fell backwards, hitting Olivia and making her press on the throttle and the boat lurched forward. And tumbled over and gripped the edge of the boat to stop herself from falling in.

* * *

Sam pushed the throttle as far as it would go and still willed the boat to go faster. Even as he drove at full speed, his eyes scanned the rangers boat for a weapon but there was nothing. The choppers circled the boat and seemed to be keeping it in a small ever decreasing circle as Sam neared.

"Andy!" he called out but the noise of the engines and the choppers was too much. He waved up at the choppers, willing them to back off enough for him to get her attention. But instead it was the driver who noticed him.

Olivia abandoned the driving position and raced over to where Andy was holding onto the stern. She gripped her hair and pulled her up against her chest and shoved a gun into her throat. Neil was still lying on the bottom of the boat, winded from the kick he received. The choppers backed off and Sam was immediately grateful.

Sam killed his engine and came to a stop beside Olivia's boat with a small bump. Olivia faltered and Andy tried to gain the advantage by turning and pressing her shoulder into Olivia's chest but it seemed she was ready for Andy's escape attempt. She yanked harder on Andy's hair and pulled her back into position, using her as a human shield.

"Let her go!"

"Not until I cross that border!"

"Cross into Quebec? You'll just get picked up there. Just let her go and we can help you."

"Help me?" Olivia laughed, shrill high laughter that rang in Andys ears.

Sam tried not to look at Andy's face. Blood trickled out of her mouth and stained a line down her neck. Her eyes were huge, fear radiated out of them and it was all he could do not to jump over the side of the boat and grab her into his arms. But he knew she would be shot, and possibly he would be too, before his feet even landed in the other boat.

"How are you going to help me?"

"All I know is you have a police officer captive. There are two choppers loaded with SWAT members overhead and you are hoping you can escape this by crossing into another province. It doesn't work like that. This isn't the movies!"

"You come any closer and I'll kill her."

"You hurt her and I'll kill you."

Andy stared at Sam. She waited for him to look at her but he was avoiding her eyes. She knew why but she still yearned for him to look. Needed it.

Neil was inching across the floor of the boat, making his way closer to the side where Sam was standing an she knew he was planning on jumping Sam. He didn't have a gun but she saw the glint of a metal bar in his hand. She knew she had no time. She had to act now.

Andy lifted one leg, and braced it off the edge of the boat then as Neil jumped, she forced her shoulders back into Olivia making her lose balance. Both women fell back against the deck and Olivia banged her head off the hard wooden surface, dazing her enough to give Andy the upper hand.

Completely surprised by his assailant, Sam found himself in the opposite position. Lying on the deck of the boat with Neil sitting over him he watched as he lifted a metal brace over his head and swung it down. Sam rolled over to his side tossing Neil to the desk and narrowly dodging the metal brace.

Andy clasped her hands together and brought them down with force to Olivia's chest. She used her chains to whip the gun out of her hand. She stepped off Olivia and rolled her onto her back then unlooped the loosened rope from her waist and tied Olivia's hands together.

Sam wrapped his legs around Neil's torso trapping his arms by his side. He leaned forward and slammed his joined fists down where his neck met his shoulder. Neil cried out in pain but it wasn't satisfactory enough for Sam. He tightened the grip he had with his legs and brought his fists down again.

Andy hopped the side of the boat and hurried over.

"Sam!" she pulled on his shoulders. "Sam! Stop!"

She looked around the boat and saw the seat along the stern was a cubbie box. She lifted the lid and took out a length of rope and hurried back to where Sam was still pummelling Neil, blind rage taking over, unleashing the frustration and fury he had been wallowing in since this all began.

"Sam! Enough!" She pulled back on his shoulders with enough force to yank him back. Sam fell onto his back and scuffled away from Neil as Sam rolled him onto his front and tied his hands behind his back.

With both assailants subdued Andy felt her shoulders slumped. Sam was sitting with his back pressed against the seat at the stern, his legs splayed out before him. Neil struggled against his restraints and his shoulders brushed Sam's foot. Sam responded by kicking him back. He lifted his head and finally looked at McNally.

She was sitting in a similar position to him, her back pressed to the port of the small boat, but her legs came up to her chest and her arms snaked around them, pulling them closer. She dipped her head and rested it in the crook of her elbow.

Sam took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He pushed himself up onto his knees and crawled over to her. He took her arms, pulled her up to meet him and held her close.

They ignored the choppers still circling overhead and just melted against each other.

* * *

Two ambulances lit up the park with eerie blue and red lights. Sam sat on the steps of one and watched Andy as she as being seen to on the steps of the other. Gerry stood in front of him and he was talking but Sam couldn't hear anything but his own heartbeat.

Two officers each escorted Neil and Olivia to separate squad cars. As soon as the doors were closed the officers got into the front and they left in a cloud of dust. Sam felt his shoulders slump a little more as he watched them leave.

"…So we have to take you in for further examination." The EMT was saying and it took a minute for the words to penetrate the fog in Sam's brain.

"What? No!" Sam started to stand but the EMT put a hand on his shoulder to put him back down and Sam all but crumped in pain.

"You have to go in. Your left shoulder is all but dislocated. Your right wrist is fractured; I suspect two broken ribs which could be causing some internal bleeding, you need to be xrayed and possibly prepped for surgery."

"I'm not going in." Sam stood, gritted his teeth against the pain as he stood again. His eyes were fixed on Andy who was being wheeled into the back of the van. He walked over and stood at the door. Andy's eyes were fixed on some point on the ceiling. Sam could see her jaw clenching, and her eyes were wide and clear. A female EMT was sitting on the seat beside the gurney Andy was strapped into and was holding her hand. Her thumb was rubbing the back of Andy's hand.

"…we can use the rape kit there with the privacy you deserve."

Sam froze.

The EMT that was working on Sam in the other ambulance came over. "Sir…we need to leave."

"I'm going with her."

Sam pulled himself up into the back of the bus and sat on the stool next to Andy's Bed. With a wince he reached over and placed a hand on her leg. He rubbed soft circles but she didn't respond.

The EMTs exchanged glances; the one at the door shrugged and slammed the doors shut. He patted the bus twice to signal it was ready and then it left.

* * *

At the hospital none of Sam's protestations were heard. He was carted off to one room an Sam to another. He struggled against the nurses who pulled his shirt off but when the pain was too much he had to succumb.

They x-rayed him, injected him, cleaned him and strapped him up. He felt like a mummy with a tight torso bandage, his right wrist in a cast and his left shoulder in a sling. The throbbing in his head was easing but his heart was aching. It was hours since they had brought him in and he was aching to see her. No matter how many times he asked after her the nurses brushed his queries aside.

Finally when they finished with him, a nurse handed him a discharge sheet and a prescription for painkillers. He signed out and hurried back to where he thought Andy had been taken but the room was empty. Back at the nurses' station he asked for her room.

"Andy McNally."

"Officer Andy McNally, she was brought in by ambulance from Voyageur Park a few hours ago…she was in that room, right there, now where the hell is she!"

"She is gone. She left."

"Left?" Blind fury enveloped Sam and he slammed his fists onto the counter, despite the pain it causes, in fact he welcomed it. "What the hell do you mean she left?"

"Sam!"

Sam turned to see Gerry hurrying over to his side. His arms were wide to give him a hug but when he saw the fury in his friend's eyes he changed his stance.

"Gerry…McNally is gone."

"Yeah I know, she went back with the first SWAT team in the chopper."

"Jesus…is she alright?"

Sam accepted the arm his friend put around his shoulder and allowed Gerry to guide him away from the nurse's station.

"Yeah, yeah, she is fine. She just wanted to get back home. The other chopper is waiting to bring us home. You ready?"

Sam nodded. The wind was knocked out of his sails. He was out of his mind with worry and the need to see her, hug her, hold her was over whelming. He leaned on his friend more than he wanted to, but Gerry took the extra weight and bore it all the way to the chopper. Sam climbed in, strapped his seat belt on and put on his head set to drown out the sound of the blades. He leaned his head against the window and was asleep before the hospital was out of sight.

* * *

Andy closed her apartment door behind her and leaned against it. She stood there for a few minutes just breathing. No thoughts, no emotions, just breath. Her lungs expanding, her ribs separating, her chest rising and falling. These are the things she concentrated on. The things she knew she could face without falling apart.

Eventually she locked the door, put on the chain then slowly made her way to the living room without turning on any of the lights. The apartment was cold from her not having lived in it for a while. She turned on the heating, and thought about lighting a fire but realised she didn't have the energy so instead she took the blanket off the back of the couch and curled up under it. It wasn't long before she fell asleep.

* * *

Andy jerked awake and wondered for a moment what had woken her. Then she heard it again. Three loud bangs on her door. Her heart leapt into her throat then she heard his voice.

"Andy…Andy, its Sam." He banged on the door again.

She pushed herself off the couch and walked to the door. She steadied her heart with a hand on her chest, took a deep breath then removed the chain and unlocked the door. Even then she hesitated a moment longer before pulling the door open.

Sam didn't wait for her to open it fully. He pushed it the rest of the way, stepped in and pulled her into his arms. He walked further into her apartment and kicked the door closed behind him. One hand wrapped around her waist and held her in place, and the other held her head to his shoulder. His head rested on the crown of her head and he swayed gently from side to side.

Her hands were on his chest, creating a barrier between them until slowly she moved them, slid them around his chest to his back, clutched bunches of his shirt as she pulled him even closer. Sam felt a ragged breath loosen her chest and it was quickly followed by her shoulders gently shaking. Her crying was silent, but the tears that fell on his shirt soaked through to his chest. He didn't think it was possible for her to get any closer but as he widened his stance she stepped in.

He spotted the couch and slowly made his was over there, guiding her to walk backwards until he could sit down and pull her onto his lap. His torso was aching, his ribs protesting against her weight but there was nothing on this planet that would make him loosen his grip on her. Her head was on his shoulder and her hands splayed on his chest. He had one hand on her thigh, gently rubbing soft circles and the other rubber her back. Finally her tears subsided. Her breathing evened out and her heart slowed to a normal beat.

"Andy…" He kissed her forehead. "Andy…"

She looked up to see him looking at her. His eyes were wide and his brow creased with worry.

"I'm okay Sam."She tried to crack a smile but it was too much effort.

"I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry for all of this."

"Sam, it's not your fault." She sat up away from his chest and only then noticed all the bandages and the cast he was wearing. "Oh my god Sam!" She scurried to get off his lap without hurting him and kneeled on the couch beside him. He reached to pull her back but she swatted his hands away.

"It's nothing. I'm fine, C'mere."

"Sam your wrist is in a cast, your shoulder is in a sling… your chest," she ran a hand down his chest to feel the ridges of the bandages that wrapped his torso. "…is wrapped up. What did they do to you?"

Sam didn't reply. He looked at her. No bandages, a few cuts and bruises and some plasters covering the spot where her IV was plugged in.

"What did they do to you?" His voice was low and he tried to hold her gaze but he couldn't stand to see the pain there and looked away.

"No Sam," she said knowing what he was asking. "No, they didn't. Everything came back negative." She touched his arm and without warning he reached for her and pulled her to him again.

"Oh god, thank you god." He exhaled the breath he was holding as he prepared for the worst. "Every time they took you, every time you left the room, I imagined the worst."

"They took me upstairs, and drugged me. I imagined the worst as well but they didn't."

Sam released her and held her away from him so he could see her eyes. "Andy I-"

"Sam don't. Please don't pile all of this onto your shoulders. This is not your doing. There was nothing you could do to stop it. By the look of it you did everything you could."

Sam dropped his chin to his chest. "It wasn't enough."

She reached a hand up and stroked his face. "Nothing would have been enough Sam."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. His hands on her lap, her hands in his.

"Did you talk to Gerry?"

"Yeah."

"He knows that was Olivia Carson?"

"Yeah he knows."

"What was she doing?"

"Disposing of any model that she thought was taking her place in her husband's life. Three of them she sold into a sex traffic ring through Tony Doyle, two of them she killed and dumped in the bay."

"Was Robert in on it?"

"Yet to be seen but Gerry thinks it was all her."

They fell silent again. Sam let his head rest back against the couch and closed his eyes over. His arm that was in a sling moved away from her lap and he settled into the cushions. She still held his other arm, stroked his upper arm above the cast. Eventually she broke the silence.

"Sam…"

"Mmm?"

"Sam, you should lie down. Come to bed." She stood up and tugged on his good arm.

"McNally I don't know what you have planned for me in there but I am in no shape."

"Sam!" she smiled and let out a small laugh. "C'mon." He let the sound of her laughter wash over him then allowed her to pull him to his feet.

She held his hand and led him through her apartment and into her room. She gently pushed him onto the bed and started to unbutton his shirt.

"I told you McNally, I'm not fit enough…mind you that means I won't put up much of a fight."

"Shut up!" She undid his shirt fully then gently pushed it off his shoulders. She did her best to get it off him without causing him too much pain, then tossed it to the floor. "Oh god Sam…" She spotted the bruising on his chest, the cuts and scrapes along his back and the red discolouring on his shoulder.

"I'm ok." She leaned down and kissed his shoulder, his chest and along any of the bruising she could see. "Andy, Andy!" He lifted her up to face him. "I'm fine." He kissed her. What was meant to be a gentle chaste reassuring kiss, soon turned heavy with need. Each of them needing more reassurance than they were willing to admit.

Sam tried to pull her up onto his lap but the pain in his shoulder couldn't be ignored any more. He gasped as it shot down his arm and she jerked away from him.

"Oh god sorry, I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

Sam laughed, but even that made his ribs shoot with pain. "Don't apologise Andy, never apologise for kissing me like that."

"Okay, enough, you need to rest. Do you have pain killers?"

"In my jacket."

Andy hurried out to the living room and retuned with a pharmacy bag and a glass of water.

"Stand up." She demanded as she rummaged through the bag to get the right pills. With some effort Sam stood, she handed him a pill and the water then took the glass off him and put it on the locker. He started to sit back onto the bed but she stopped him. "Wait…" She reached down and undid his belt. Then opened the fastening on his jeans and pulled them down his legs.

"I thought we decided not to do this," he said with a smirk.

"Shut up and lie back down." Before he could lie down she yanked the duvet back so he was sitting on the sheets. She pulled off his boots and his jeans then helped him lift his legs onto the bed.

Sam let his eyes close over as the soothing cold sheets caressed his hot skin. Andy walked to the end of the bed and shed her own boots and jeans. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder then pulled the sweater off over her head and took a long teeshirt from the chair to wear. She climbed into bed beside him; careful not to touch him or hurt him then gently laid the duvet over them both. The room was dark and the only sound came from their slow steady breathing.

"McNally?" he whispered in the dark.

"Yeah?"

"Come closer."

She inched closer and rested a hand on his arm.

"Closer."

She inched closer still and moved her hand to his chest.

"Closer."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. I promise."

He lifted his arm so she could get close enough to rest her head on his good shoulder. Their bodies were touching all the way to their toes. She lifted one leg to curl over his and he sighed. His arm came around her shoulders to hold her against him and he placed a kiss on her head. A calm silence fell over them again for a few minutes and this time it was Andy's turn to whisper into the darkness.

"Sam…"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He didn't need to ask what for, he didn't want to brush her thanks aside by saying it was unwarranted. All he wanted to do was hold her, feel her body against his as she slept. Her chest rose and fell in calm security and knowing it was him who offered it to her was thanks enough. He squeezed her closer and kissed her again before his eyes fell closed and he followed her into a safe slumber.

**The End.**

**Skinfull**.

* * *

**Oct 2012**

**A/N: **So I FINALLY made it to the end of this monstrous fic I just wanna say thanks for sticking with me, those that are still reading, I can only apologise for the lengthy wait between updates. Usually I write a piece to completion before posting anything. that way I avoid many of the annoying niggly mistakes that I spot in this fic (like how Andy is dressed in the opening scene and then differently in that same scene repeated later on!) Anyhoo, thanks again for reading and a special thanks for all the lovely reviewers you guys rock my world.


End file.
